Fairies and pixies and gnomes, oh my! That’s what it’s all about for children on Saturday and Sunday at Fairchild’s 18th International Orchid Festival. Whether it’s decorating a cupcake with Vanilla Orchid Buttercream and fairy dust, learning that vanilla comes from orchids, creating tricked-out fairy wings or a gnome hat to take home or participating in the fairy parade, children will delight in the wonderful world of fairies and their friends! Below is a schedule of events for children:
All Activities for Saturday and Sunday (Limited activities on Friday)
Ongoing Events in the Learning Garden:
Decorate a cupcake! Decorate a yummy Vanilla Orchid Fairy cake, and sprinkle it with magic fairy dust, courtesy of Sweetcakes Cupcakes. A craft you can eat!
Make your own tricked-out Fairy Wings or Gnome Hats to wear! Embellish them with your own fairy dust, ribbons, and other trimmings and then wear them in the parade!
Color a Fairchild Flower Fairy or design an original. Fairchild volunteers from Tropical Botanic Artists Group (TBAG) have designed original drawings of Fairchild Flower Fairies, starring Orchid Fairies! You can color their designs or create your own! Be sure to meet the TBAG artists under the Visitor Center loggia, and see their orchid art!
Vanilla: The Orchid We Eat! Did you know vanilla comes from an orchid? Learn about orchids and vanilla with our Fairchild volunteers! See a real vanilla orchid, touch real vanilla beans, smell organic vanilla extract, even learn how to grow one!
Vendor Princess Crowns will have princess crowns, magic wands, pirate hats and more!
Scheduled Events in the Learning Garden
12:00 p.m. Cooking demo: How to make Fairy Nectar – a beautiful and yummy drink.
1:00 p.m. Cooking demo: Chef Barbara Roqueta from Sweetcakes Cupcakes will show how to make Vanilla Orchid Buttercream Frosting for your Fairy Cakes!
2:30 p.m. Grand Parade of the Flower Fairies and Friends! Bring the kids and their fairy wings, gnome hats or other dress-up costumes for our parade. Join orchid fairies, pixies, sprites, and gnomes as they prance along the Orchid route. You might even see princesses and pirates!
About the International Orchid Festival
The International Orchid Festival is in its eighth year and will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 12-15, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission prices: Adults, $20, seniors, $15, children 6-17, $10 and free to members and children 5 and under. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, Florida. Additional information about the International Orchid Festival may be found at www.fairchildgarden.org.