The Grant County Library hosted its annual Fairy Tale Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Grant County Civic Center, bringing together families, local organizations, businesses and schools for an evening centered around books and community.
The event has become a longtime tradition in Grant County, with families moving throughout the Civic Center to visit booths, hear stories, enjoy refreshments and watch a special performance presented by library staff.
Grant County Library Director Holly Mathes said the Fairy Tale Fair began more than 20 years ago through Communities in Schools and Tigers in Action. When those programs ended, the library was given the opportunity to continue the event and has hosted it ever since.
The library had already been involved with the Fairy Tale Fair from the beginning by participating with a booth and later turning a favorite children’s book into a short play.
Over the years, the event has continued to grow. Mathes said the Fairy Tale Fair now brings in around 500 participants and family members each year.
This year, 19 local schools, businesses, civic groups, county organizations and community programs hosted booths for families to visit throughout the evening.
Some of the participating groups included Grant County Bank, Grant County Recreation Commission, Golden Plains Credit Union, Kiwanis, Pioneer Communications, Prairie Vista Dental, local schools, community programs and several other organizations and individuals.
Each booth offered its own story or activity for children.
Slater Heglin with Grant County Bank said their group read “The Pout-Pout Fish” in both English and Spanish. Grant County Bank has participated in the Fairy Tale Fair for the past three years.
“The overall experience was great,” Heglin said. “We love interacting with the kids and seeing the joy in their faces while reading the books. We are grateful for the Grant County Library and all that they do to create such an amazing event.”
Grant County Recreation Commission has been part of the event for much longer.
Kristi Breese with Grant County Recreation Commission said the organization has participated in the Fairy Tale Fair for at least 15 years, going back to the days when Communities in Schools helped organize the event.
This year, Breese read “Ten Rules of the Birthday Wish” to children who stopped by the recreation commission’s booth.
Along with the booths, one of the highlights of the evening was the library’s annual play.
Children’s Librarian Maribel Sandoval and Young Adult Librarian M.J. Siebert presented a short play based on the Elephant and Piggie book “Waiting Is Not Easy!”
Each year, library staff chooses a popular children’s book and turns it into a short performance with costumes and scenery for families attending the Fairy Tale Fair.
The evening also included plenty of refreshments. More than 1,000 cookies were donated this year by local businesses, organizations and individuals.
Rotary Club of Ulysses continued its longtime support of the event by providing drinks and helping serve cookies and refreshments to families throughout the evening.
The success of the Fairy Tale Fair depends heavily on community involvement. Local schools, civic groups, churches, county organizations, businesses and individuals all play a part in helping the library put on the event each year.
Mathes said that community support has helped the Fairy Tale Fair continue to grow and remain a popular event for local families.
“The community rallies together to make the night a smashing success,” Mathes said.
From longtime participants who have been involved for more than a decade to groups taking part for only a few years, the Fairy Tale Fair continues to bring different parts of Grant County together through reading and family activities.
The Grant County Library staff and board thanked everyone who volunteered, hosted a booth, donated cookies or refreshments, and helped make this year’s Fairy Tale Fair possible.
Anyone interested in offering a booth at a future Fairy Tale Fair can contact Maribel Sandoval at the Grant County Library at 620-356-1433. The event is usually held on the last Tuesday in September each year.
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