Win Tickets to the Fairy Tale Festival

Once upon a time…That’s a phrase visitors to Edsel & Eleanor Ford House (Ford House), will hear quite a bit when the exhibit Fairy Tale Art: Illustrations from Children’s Books comes to the historic estate beginning July 16. Fairy tales will leap from the storybook pages on July 23 with a special Fairy Tale Festival designed to delight young and old alike with its activities, including multi-cultural storytelling, live musical and theatrical performances and the opportunity to roam Ford House’s enchanted grounds.

The Fairy Tale Art Exhibit, on display from July 16 through September 18, features 59 illustrations from well-loved classic fairy tales such as The Firebird, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood, as well as modern variations on traditional tales. The illustrations, by award-winning artists from across the globe, will be coupled with the story behind the tales and the history of their effect on past and present cultures.

On Saturday, July 23, Ford House’s idyllic grounds set the stage for a day of imagination and wonder as fairy tales from the exhibit come to life during Ford House’s first Fairy Tale Festival. Building on the Michigan Library Association’s summer reading theme, “One World, Many Stories,” the festival will take a global look at the tradition of storytelling through stories, fables and folklore, encouraging parents and children to read and explore the stories together.

With a variety of family-focused events and hands-on activities, the Fairy Tale Festival offers fun for visitors of all ages. Guests can expect to see multiple stages filled by performances such as Fractured Fairy Tales from the Grosse Pointe Theatre, the Magic Carpet Ride Theatre’s interactive telling of classic fairy tales, Magical Tunes and Marvelous Tales from the Michigan Philharmonic, Greg Lester’s Puppet Adventures and marimba virtuosos Marimbamania! – Music from Around the World. Favorite fairy tale characters will also stroll through the festival to greet visitors.

Around the grounds of the estate, guests will also find multi-cultural storytellers, a petting zoo of live fairy tale animals, story circles, croquet, a life-size chess set and a concession area decorated like a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Children can also try mural painting, craft making or climbing aboard Cinderella’s carriage.

The inspiration for presenting Fairy Tales comes from Josephine Ford’s Play House, a 2/3 scale Tudor-like house decorated with characters from well-known nursery rhymes, such as Hey Diddle Diddle, Humpty Dumpty and Little Miss Muffet. During the festival, guests will receive a coloring book of the Play House nursery rhyme carvings as a keepsake.

“Ford House was a truly magical place for Edsel and Eleanor Ford and their children,” said Kathleen Mullins, president of Ford House. “We’re delighted to share this wonderful new exhibit, festival and programs with our guests and hope that they, too, will be enchanted by their surroundings and use the opportunity to create special memories together.”

A series of lectures and workshops for adults that explore writing, illustration and a deeper look at the messages behind fairy tales will be offered in August.

Admittance to the Fairy Tale Art exhibit is included with general admission and is free to members. Tickets for the Fairy Tale Festival on July 23 are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. To purchase tickets and download a complete list of activities, visit www.fordhouse.org.

No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be selected randomly through https://random.org. Detroit Mommies writers and contributors are ineligible to participate. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Detroit Mommies is not responsible products shipped from outside vendors or sponsors.  Open to participants in the US 18 years and older. Contest ends  at 07/11/2011 at 9:00 p.m. EST.