Halcyon Forsyth has a fairy village for local families to explore

Metro Atlanta families seeking something new to do should look no further than Forsyth County’s mixed-use development.

Halcyon is the home of Fairy Village, which resident Dan O’Hara thought up after his volunteer work on local and international service projects was upended by the pandemic last year.

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On Saturday, April 17 Halcyon will host Fairy Village Day where families can make their own fairy homes to add to the village. It’s already been filled with O’Hara’s creations of gnomes, birdhouses and other figurines and since it launched last summer, locals have also added their own creations of articles of nature.

For $10 per child, attendees can make their own fairy village house, get their face painted, meet Tinker Bell and take a guided walk to Halcyon Fairy Garden and Gnome Depot all beginning at 11 a.m. Adults do not need a ticket to participate.

All proceeds benefit Jesse’s House, a nonprofit organization offering a safe haven and healing space for adolescent girls who have been removed from situations of neglect and abuse, or present a safety risk to themselves or others.

Since its establishment more than 20 years ago, Jesse’s House has served more than 1,000 girls from all around Georgia.

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O’Hara was inspired to create the fairy village during a run along the Big Creek Greenway in July 2020. He took inspiration from the Fairy Trail at Sawnee Mountain Preserve and events including “Halcyon Rocks!”, an inspiring rock-painting event, and “Chalk Your Walk,” where guests posed for photos by chalk-illustrated drawings on the trailhead.

Developed in a cleared space along the multi-use trail, Fairy Village, according to a press release, is meant “to spark joy, curiosity and smiles to his neighbors of all ages during a difficult time.”

“At a time when we were all staying apart and looking for something to do, I wanted to find a way to still give back, put smiles on kid’s faces and create something that all ages can enjoy,” O’Hara said in a statement. “The Halcyon community has really embraced the concept, and the village continues to grow thanks to everyone’s own unique creations — and a little fairy magic.”

This free, fun and socially distant activity has also been a popular spot during Halcyon’s weekly Discover Days Kids Club.

Credit: Halcyon