The Fairy House Festival, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s extremely popular February festival celebrates fairy houses and fairies. Children dressed as fairies and gnomes visit Latta Nature Preserve and enjoy storytelling, crafts, activities and games.
The highlight of the festival are the fairy houses along the Audubon Loop in Latta Nature Preserve.
Fairy houses are small, whimsical dwellings for fairies to live in. They are made and decorated with natural materials found on site, like twigs, branches, pinecones, mushrooms and flowers.
You can find elaborate fairy houses for sale online, but we’ve heard from reliable sources that fairies much prefer houses that are created by a children.
In 2021, the festival will be presented as a weeklong virtual festival, from February 21st to 28th, 2021. It will include crafts, activities, videos and more on Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s social media channel. Make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
The festival will also include self-guided outdoor activities.
Fairy House Festival Outdoor Activities
- Fairy wing photo ops: All four Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Nature Centers, February 21st to 28th, 2021
- Fairy House Story Walk: Treasure Tree Trail at Latta Nature Preserve, February 12th to 29th, 2021
- Fairy House Building Contest: Audubon Trail at Latta Nature Preserve, February 21st to 27th, 2021
- Fairy Geocaching: All four Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Nature Centers, February 24th to March 3rd, 2021
We will share more information on these outdoor activities, as well as the virtual events, soon.
Fairy House Festival Play at Home Kit
You can pick up a Fairy House Festival Play at Home Kit for just $5 at Quest Nature Center, 6345 Sample Road, Huntersville, within Latta Nature Preserve.
Each kit is full of special surprises, like fairy crystals, geocache prizes, a bubble recipe, and fun additions for your fairy house.
You can order yours online and pick it up at Quest Nature Center. Supplies are limited.
Permanent Fairy House Trail at Latta Nature Preserve
But please know that with or without the festival, the fairy houses are on the Audubon Loop and they always are, day in and day out, all year.

Photo: R. Goldberg
Children and families have been building fairy houses within Latta Nature Preserve for years.
Just go for a walk on the Audubon Loop, at any time of year, and you’ll see lots of them.

Photo: R. Goldberg
You’ll also see lots of forts, and you can build one too!

Photo: R. Goldberg
No pandemic can take away the magic.
More at Latta Nature Preserve
You can make a day of visiting Latta Nature Preserve. Besides the Audubon Trail, there is much more to enjoy:
- Buzzard Rock and Wash Rock: A very short walk to a breathtaking view
- Quest Nature Center (opening soon)
- Carolina Raptor Center
- Historic Latta Plantation
- Extensive hiking trails
- Canoeing and Kayaking on Mountain Island Lake
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Charlotte on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it's also possible that we can make a mistake. In addition, we can not guarantee that all events adhere to the safety measures that are necessary at this time, so we encourage you to ask any questions of the organizer, to make your best decision, and to stay safe.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
Leave a Reply