From left, the green dragon with Dragon Ice Cream, Spark the Fairy, an ogre with the Ogre Trading Post and the Prince of the Flowers hang out at the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival in Sam Michaels Park on Sunday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Ogres, fairies, dragons and satyrs galore danced around Sam Michaels Park over the weekend, as the first annual Shepherdstown Fairy Festival came to life.

While not located in Shepherdstown, the event’s locational name was instead connected with its founder’s place of residence and business, as Emma Casale both lives and operates her business, Creative Procrastinations and Whimsical Necessities, in Shepherdstown. Casale, who has spent many years volunteering and selling items at fairy festivals, said she has wanted to create a fairy festival in the Eastern Panhandle for many years. And, from the hundreds of attendees to the vendors, actors and musical guests, the event’s obvious success was proof she was right to dedicate herself to bringing the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival to life.

“She’s done a very good job for her first year,” said Professor S.T. Punk’s Gadgetometers vendor Laura Becraft on Sunday. afternoon. “I think a lot of people are worried with a fairy festival, that it’s a pagan festival, but it’s not. It’s very family oriented!

“What little girl doesn’t love a fairy princess or little boy doesn’t love dragons? It’s an opportunity for them to pretend and come and celebrate — after all, they started fairy festivals for the children!” Laura said, mentioning the SFF featured kids activities like face painting, moon bouncing, make-and-take crafts and story times. “The purpose is to show them that it’s okay to pretend and be healthy.”

According to Laura, her and her husband’s business is a hobby for them, which has brought them to countless fairy festivals along the East Coast, including the New York Faerie Festival, the Maryland Faerie Festival and the Enchanted Fairy Festival in York, Pa. The one thing she noted, was that with the great variety in attendees at fairy festivals, participants should keep one specific concept in mind — “there really are no rules, but be kind!”

Nina Amaya, of Big Whimsy stiltwalking entertainment, walks around the festival grounds at Sam Michaels Park on Sunday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

Her husband, Robert Becraft, agreed with that sentiment.

“It’s a very eclectic type of gathering of different kinds of people — they have different goals and aspirations. [For] some of them, it’s a lifestyle. [For] some of them, it’s because they think it’s fun to come out and participate,” Robert said.

Making the trip to this fairy festival was more of a journey for some than others, as Eric Pope, portraying Wanton the Fairy Smasher, could attest, as he traveled cross country from Seattle, Wash., for this event. But, according to Pope, the festival was worth the effort.

“For its first year, this festival is impressive,” Pope said. “I do around 17 shows a year, on both coasts. I’m in coloring books! This is a weird profession I fell into.”

The ogre from the Ogre Trading Post agreed with Pope’s analysis of the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival’s success.

Shepherdstown Fairy Festival attendees dance to the music of Frenchy and The Punk at The Amp in Sam Michaels Park Sunday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

“For the first year, this is probably a lot bigger than any of us anticipated. Usually, the first year is very, very light, as everyone’s trying to dip their toe into what it’s going to be like,” he said.

For Spark the Fairy, the greatest thing about fairy festivals — the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival included — is how inclusive they are.

“The fairy community is a place where anyone of any walk of life can belong. So, you’ll see goblins and ogres and gargoyles and gnomes and fairies and the fairy catcher here — it doesn’t matter what part of that world you are drawn to, you can come all together and celebrate it,” Spark the Fairy said. “Whether you’re 95 years old or two years old, there’s a place for you. And I think what it’s really all about — belonging and getting to be yourself for a few days!

“This has been one of the most successful first year shows I’ve seen, and that speaks volumes about its organizer,” she said.

Fairies Kayla Berry, far right, and Bella Martino, who is a Shepherd University student, rear away from Wotan the Fairy Smasher, also known as Eric Pope, who traveled from Seattle, Wash. to perform at the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival. Tabitha Johnston

Steve Haug performs folk songs on the guitar and harmonica at the Shepherdstown Fairy Festival in Sam Michaels Park on Sunday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston