Whimsical Woodlands

On April 27, Johnson Nature Center welcomed the community to a magical adventure. Tiny fairy homes, gnome huts, and miniature treehouses adorned the trails, along with several other fun activities for families to enjoy.

Volunteers built approximately 40 structures for the fairy village, all from items found in the natural environment. Commonly-used materials included tree bark, sticks, leaves, and plants. “The Whimsical Woodlands Festival is all about celebrating our Earth, our creativity, and the spirit of community,” said Brooke Larm, Education Specialist and TreeSchool Director at Johnson Nature Center. “We kick off the day with Stewardship Morning, where volunteers help remove invasive species, clean up from winter, and get the trails ready for the season.”

The festival was a collaboration between Johnson Nature Center, Oakland County Parks, and several other organizations including the Bloomfield Township Public Library, the Department of Natural Resources, Friends of Johnson Nature Center, Bowers Farm, Farmington Hills Nature Center, Alpine Crossing, Girl Scouts of SE Michigan, and private vendors. “The event has something for everyone – hiking along the fairy trail, fishing, rock wall climbing, local food and art vendors, live music – it’s a full celebration of nature and community,” said Larm.

The event also featured a collection of treehouses built by North Hills students in Bethany Arsenault’s grade 7 design & technology class. Students were tasked with building a treehouse for a chosen celebrity, which included researching the celebrity’s life and personal interests. Derek Albert Jr. (grade 7) brought his father to see his treehouse design, and stopped to try the archery game along the way. “I have better accuracy than my dad,” Albert Jr. chuckled as the two wrapped up the friendly competition.

Other families came dressed for the occasion in fairy wings, elf ears, and gnome hats. The Felix family, whose preschooler wore fairy wings and a tutu, said, “the best part so far has been seeing our friends who are musicians and meeting some of the live fairies. And also some of the crafts!” 

This was the second annual Whimsical Woodlands event, with an estimated turnout of 1,100 visitors, volunteers, partners, and vendors. Reflecting on the day, Larm said, “we couldn’t have done it without the support of Oakland County Parks, our partners, and the amazing volunteers who gave their time, talents, and heart to this event.”