For 14 years, a quiet kind of magic has settled over Woodlands Garden every October. Tucked among the trails, nearly 200 tiny fairy homes appear — built from acorn caps, moss, bark, and pinecones, each a little different and worth stopping to find.
But there's more happening in those miniature doorways and mushroom-cap roofs than meets the eye. The fairy homes are handcrafted by clients of Skyland Trail and Hillside Atlanta, two therapy programs whose participants use the project as part of their healing process. What started as a beloved fall tradition is something deeper: a partnership between nature, art, and recovery.
Fairies in the Garden is free and open to everyone. Fairy homes are tucked into 12 different spots, each site tied to a native plant — think "Beech Retreat" or "Hemlock Highway" — so visitors can explore corners of Woodlands they might otherwise walk right past. The locations shift every year to keep the discovery fresh.
Beyond the self-guided fairy hunt, the event includes hands-on craft activities, story-time, family yoga, and other interactive moments built for all ages.
For Woodlands Garden Executive Director Kate McAlpin, the event's real value goes beyond the whimsy. "To be able to know that this magic for the community is inspiring visitors, but also helping youth and adults heal or work through difficult life experiences in their therapy programs makes this integral to the Garden," she says. "The connection and growth that's possible through this event is pure magic, and Woodlands provides the natural beauty and setting."
That collaboration — between a garden, two therapy programs, and a community of generous sponsors — is what makes Fairies in the Garden feel different from a typical fall festival. It's craftsmanship built from a genuine process of healing, set out in the open for neighbors, kids, and first-time visitors to wander and marvel.
Take your family through the trails. Somewhere between Beech Retreat and Hemlock Highway, you might just find a little fairy home — and a story behind it that's more meaningful than it looks.
Fairies in the Garden Oct. 10 – Oct. 24
932 Scott Blvd., Decatur
woodlandsgarden.org