All Ages Will Enjoy Wizard Faire Aug. 11

July 20, 2023
From the Pickerington Village Association

The first ever Wizard Faire is coming to Victory Park on Friday, August 11 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event, which is part of Fairfield County’s Wands and Wizards Weekend, is like a free Renaissance festival with wizards and magic, too. There will be games, entertainers, vendors, and food trucks.

“Wizard Faire will be a family-friendly, enchanting event filled with magic, music and fun,” said Kasey Anklam who serves on the planning committee. “From fantasy enthusiasts to D&D gamers, this event is for your inner witch or wizard and for children and adults alike.”

On the stage, solo acoustic guitarist Beth Nuzum Cronenweth will perform at 4:00 p.m. followed by Paul Weiss on the melodica at 4:30 p.m. At 5:00 p.m. musician Mockery Max will be “turning muggle oldies into wizard goldies!”

At 6 p.m., the Ohio School of Falconry will treat the audience to a demonstration of their incredible birds. The falconry exhibition is sponsored by the Pickerington Public Library which is co-hosting the Wizard Faire with the Pickerington Village Association. At 7:15 p.m., renowned guitarist Bob Ford will take the stage. Lastly, at 8:00 p.m. anyone who dressed up is invited to enter a costume contest with prizes awarded in a variety of categories including “Best Group Cosplay”, “Most Creative”, “Best Pet Costume” and more.

Magician (and Pickerington North grad) Jake Lundgren will amaze the crowd with his incredible slight of hand.

Please bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy the entertainment.

In addition to those performing on stage, several entertainers will be wandering the crowd including magician Jake Lundgren, juggler Lindsey Geers, and the library’s Violet the Cow. Kids of all ages can buy tickets to play carnival games such as ring toss, slingshot launch, and duck races. The tickets to play are $1.00 each or six for $5.00. The games all have fun prizes like sword pens and magic wands. More than 40 vendors have signed on to offer a variety of goods and services. Make a craft at the library booth, have your tarot read, or paint your own ceramic dragon.

The Knotted Cloak from the Ohio Renaissance Faire will be selling her handsewn cloaks. Several food trucks will be on hand offering dinner options like cheesesteak, burgers, shrimp tacos, and reubens. Sweet options include caramel apples, beautifully intricate sugar cookies, fruit pops, fry pies, mini doughnuts and kettle corn. For a complete list of vendors, please visit the Wizard Faire event page.

After the Faire, adults are encouraged to head over to Combustion Brewery & Tap Room for special drinks and costume prizes.

Wands and Wizards Weekend runs from August 10-12 with special food and entertainment events occurring throughout Fairfield County. For more information visit Wands & Wizards Weekend event page.

The Magical Creature Hunt’s harpy. *Artwork by Pickerington artist Alex M. Clark.*

In Pickerington, Combustion will host Harry Potter Trivia on Thursday night and feature special drinks. Sorso Coffee and Fiiz Drinks will also feature special menu items. Rule 3 will offer a discounted rate on its Wizard-themed escape room, “Sorcerer’s Study”.

Also, that weekend Pickerington will debut two trails leading to prizes – a Magical Creature Hunt and a Fairy House Trail. Both use the Visit Fairfield County app on mobile devices. With the Magical Creature Hunt, you follow the map on your phone to various locations around Pickerington where you will find posters featuring creatures from myth or fantasy, intricately drawn by local artist Alex M. Clark.

On the poster, you will find a question. Type the answer to all eight questions into your phone and you will win a prize which can be collected from either Combustion or Sorso. This trail runs through the Wands and Wizards week only. For more information, visit the event page for the Magical Creature Hunt.

The Fairy House Trail will debut Wands and Wizards week but will remain in place throughout the year. For those who complete the trail during the three days of Wands and Wizards, you will receive a special prize at Fiiz. The houses along the trail were designed and built by local youth including the high school art programs, Girl Scouts and BSA Scouts.

Peggy Portier, from the Pickerington Village Association, said the organization is “excited to sponsor the Fairy House Trail around the Pickerington Village area and provide a special treat for those who participate during Wands and Wizards Weekend.”