MILLVILLE, NJ (June 11, 2024) – WheatonArts and Cultural Center proudly declares that Fantasy Faire returns on Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day! In partnership with Mystic Realms, Ltd®, this annual event features talented performers as they bring to life the “Kingdom of Wheaton” by enacting a series of interconnected shows. Visitors of all ages can interact with strolling costumed characters portraying historical and mythical figures throughout WheatonArts’ campus. Everyone is invited to come dressed in their favorite fantasy garbs to enjoy a variety of live performances and sword demonstrations, engage in free family art activities, play pirate games, shop the merchants’ alley, and so much more! Fantasy Faire is included with general admission to WheatonArts. 

Watch in amazement as historical facts from the Medieval and Renaissance periods blend with mythology and contemporary popular fantasy. Engage with various family-friendly characters, from kings to elves and gypsy dancers to famous personalities like Robin Hood. Immerse the whole family in an interactive day of performing arts and activities! 

Highlights include: 

• Children of all ages can participate in raising the Spring Pole and Ribbon Wrapping Dance, a Fantasy Faire crowd favorite! 
• The Tournament of Prosperity—Each hour, a series of stage shows on the Tournament Field tell the continuing story of the Kingdom of Wheaton. There is plotting, planning, and sword fighting in every show! 
• Feel like a Viking by learning how to safely throw tomahawks, Viking bearded axes, and double-bit Michigan axes! (For ages 11 and older.)
• Meet Blacksmith Daniel Lapidow from Hebrew Hammer to learn about forge and metalwork! 
• Children can learn the skills of a heroic adventurer by completing various challenges on the Adventurer Training course.
• Join your favorite storybook characters in StoryBook Grove for sing-a-longs, fairytale readings, and photo opportunities.
• Watch medieval combat demonstrations by groups such as Phoenix Swords, the Society of Creative Anachronism, and Markland Medieval Mercenary Militia! Demonstrations may also include Renaissance dancing, textile production, arms and armor, archery, and other Renaissance-related activities. 
• At the Court of Miracles, children can meet characters from the Hunchback of Notre Dame and watch dancing and drumming demonstrations. 
• Join the Whipsy Rover for whip-cracking demonstrations and free lessons. 
• Explore the “Kingdom of Wheaton” with a Scavenger Hunt to earn a gold pirate coin! 
• Enjoy a variety of interactive children’s shows, including Polly Pirate: Music, Magic & Mystery Show—A comedy show alternating between exciting songs and unbelievable magic tricks! Fantastic fun for kids of all ages.
• Witness the transformation of molten hot glass into fantastical objects through collaborative demonstrations by glass artists Sukayna El Hani and Ariel Mazzola from Hot Sand in Asbury Park.
• Enjoy free hands-on family art activities like decorating crowns for royalty, painting fantasy mini-figures, and making paper plate dragon masks (while supplies last). 
• Roosters of Ragnarok, a NJ micro sanctuary dedicated to saving chickens, joins the Faire this year with poultry fun. 
• Create a glass-fused charm, talisman, or suncatcher in the Education Studio to boost your magical abilities. Available for ages 5 & up (with parental assistance) at discounted event prices of $10-20 per person. 

Merchants will offer a variety of unique products, including jewelry, medieval and fantasy costumes, leather goods, and psychic readings. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Visitors will receive a detailed program of activities each day.  

Fantasy Faire is included in the price of admission to WheatonArts. Admission is $12.00 for Adults, $11.00 for Senior Adults, and $7.00 for Students. Children five and under are free. Tickets are available at the front gate and online. WheatonArts information and group rates can be found online at wheatonarts.org or by calling 856-825-6800. For details about Mystic Realms®, call 856.430.0716 or visit online at mysticrealms.com.  

WheatonArts strives to ensure the accessibility of its exhibitions, events, and programs to all persons with disabilities. Provide two weeks’ notice for additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) at 800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.  

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New Jersey Cultural Trust. WheatonArts also receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State, and is supported in part by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.  

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About WheatonArts: With a history spanning over five decades, WheatonArts has earned regional, national, and international recognition for its unique collections and programs. The Museum of American Glass (accredited by the American Alliance of Museums) houses one of the most comprehensive collections of American glass in the country – from the first glass bottles made in America to celebrated works by Dale Chihuly, Paul Stankard, and other contemporary glass artists. Visitors experience the art of glassmaking, ceramics, and flameworking in the Artist Studios. From April through December, the Museum of American Glass and Down Jersey Folklife Center present special exhibitions. WheatonArts also offers traditional and multicultural programs, classes, workshops, performances, and weekend festivals. The award-winning Museum Stores offer traditional and contemporary art and craft in all mediums. 

About Mystic Realms ®: Mystic Realms ® is a theater company incorporated to organize events that create interactive drama through role-playing. Events use the Mystic Realms ® Live-Action and Dice-Play rules systems and encourage the development of characters within realistic, thought-provoking game settings. Mystic Realms ® was created in the early 1990s and has expanded, since then, into many new and exciting game worlds. 

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