Featured Guests

Once again, the festival will celebrate the beginning of spring and all of the nature spirits return to the warm world with 70 arts and crafts vendors (mostly featuring handmade art inspired by the little people), performances by musicians and dancers, magicians, participatory maypole dancing accompanied by bagpipes and other music, fairie craft activities such as fairie wand and garland making (involves a small fee), food vendors, fairie and other nature spirit environments to explore, a Nature Place offering a place for environmental, health, animal interest and other groups to share their vision, , fairie tea parties, guest appearances by the Green Man, Sweet Pea, Posie and others.

Charles Vess

Charles Vess, one of premier fantasy/folklore-oriented illustrators working today, began his career as a freelance illustrator in New York in the 1970’s. His newest release, written by friend and top-selling author Neil Gaiman, is Blueberry Girl (HarperCollins 2009), an exquisitely illustrated “poem/prayer” for a much-loved soon-to-be-born little girl.

Charles will be launching his latest boook, "Instructions" an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's lyrical poem concerning how to survive a trip through fairyland (or quite possibly life itself). He will have copies available for purchase and signing.

A full history of Charles Vess’ artistic accomplishments and awards would be too extensive to list here. He has long been a celebrity in the comic/graphic novel world, producing work for Marvel, DC, Darkhorse and Epic. In 1991, he shared the prestigious World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story with top-selling author Neil Gaiman for Sandman #19 (DCComics). In 1999, Vess was awarded the World Fantasy Award as Best Artist for Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess’ Stardust (Vertigo 1998), which was subsequently adapted by Paramount and released as a major motion picture starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro. Vess has provided artwork for numerous other stories and books in the faerie/folklore genre, including Charles DeLint’s A Circle of Cats (Viking), the cover of which took Spectrum’s Gold Award in 2003. Charles Vess lives in southwestern Virginia with wife Karen Shaffer.

Ari Berk

Ari Berk, Ph.D., is an award-winning writer, artist and noted authority on folklore and mythology. His newest books are The Secret History of Giants (Candlewick 2008) and The Secret History of Mermaids (Candlewick 2009); William Shakespeare - His Life and Times (with Kristen McDermott, Candlewick 2010); Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World (with Carolyn Dunn, Abrams 2008), How to Be A Viking (Templar 2008); and several very popular books illustrated by Brian Froud: Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Letters (Abrams 2005); Goblins! (Abrams 2004); and The Runes of Elfland (Abrams 2003). Ari is a Professor at Central Michigan University, teaching mythology, folklore, and medieval literature. He lives in Michigan with his wife, Kris McDermott (a writer and an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University) and their son, Robin. For more information and much curious lore, please visit his website: www.ariberk.com