Last weekend we attended our school’s annual Harvest Faire. As is usual with all Maple Village Waldorf School celebrations, it was an enchanting event. To be honest, I enjoyed it even more this year as it was the first year in a looooong time that I wasn’t the organizer.
I could wander and browse and be part of the magic (I’m usually part of the chaos!). It was wonderful and I am so thankful to my friend Serina, for taking over from me and making it even more magical than it has ever been.
The most magical part of our Harvest Faire is wandering through the Olde-World Village. The children LOVE taking part in each Village activity. The stalls are manned by selected parents who help the children understand what each villager does.
There is a Farmer who grows corn and wheat. Each child leaves the Farmer with a bag of wheat berries that she takes to the Miller. The child and the Miller then work together to grind the wheat into flour. Children then take their bags of flour to the Baker. The baker takes the child’s flour and gives her a ball of dough, which she kneads diligently. It’s a sight to see the happy flour-streaked faces of the children as they engage in meaningful work. When the dough is needed, the Baker puts it onto his paddle and into the ‘oven’. Out comes a bread-roll or a muffin for the child to eat.
There is a Candle-Maker who teaches each child how to make beeswax candles. There is a Gem-Collector who has a bucket full of sand and, if the children dig well enough, gems are found! The children dig and dig and their gem bags fill to brimming. There is a Wise Woman who tells fortunes with wonderful aromas and enchantments. There is a Weaver who teaches the children to weave with natural fibers on the Earth Loom. There is a vagabond Blacksmith who looks like a viking and makes silver coins for each child to take home with him. And, of course, there is a Wizard who casts spells and makes wishes come true and gives each child a crystal point to remind her that light shines in her heart.
It’s a truly wonderful, hands-on, journey for children and parents…
There are other fun things to do at the faire too. There are games and archery to win GORGEOUS handmade shields (made by two of our clever dads). There is story-time and crafts, home-made food (made by the parents) and handcrafted goods to buy. There are face-painters and hair-braiders, jugglers and minstrels and fairies. And there is Pocket Lady (Kitty this year) who has magical surprises for the children in her many pockets.
Such a wonderful day! Thank you to everyone (that’s just about every single Maple Village Waldorf School’s parents and teachers) for such a beautiful event.
If you are interested in finding out more about Waldorf educations, please visit my Discovering Waldorf page.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
8 Responses
Great photo’s wish we had fairs like that over here in the UK :) x
Thanks for visiting, Jane. Our first faire was only 6 years ago and we had a handful of people attending. Now it’s a highlight of the year for the kids and adults alike and we have hundreds of people. It’s such a magical day :)
xo Donni
I wish the Waldorf fair we attended this year was as lovely and soulful as this. Unfortunately, ours was a disappointment – mostly stalls selling hippy-style clothing or food. I couldn’t even find any dyed silk play cloths. Afterwards I muttered, where were the storytelling places? Where was the magical Waldorf music? Even the fairy queen sat alone and bored-looking in her grotto. Usually these fairs are the joy of the year. It’s sad to see schools catering to the mainstream and to adults. How I would have loved to be at yours! So beautiful.
Hi Sarah, I always get so excited when I see you have visited :)
We have an enchanting fair. It was only 6 years ago when we had only 30 people attend our first Faire and now it is a highlight of the year for so many families. We are so careful to keep it ‘real’ for the children. They love it so much… even the older ones.
xo Donni
Absolutely WONDERFUL. Love the archer and the archers dad.
Both were very proud when the archer won a shield :)
xo
I went to a Waldorf school in Germany in the late 70’s through mid 80’s and the annual Autumn Fair was my absolute favorite thing to do. Since the school was situated within a Pestalozzi Village, it was well attended and the Fair was usually a three day event with more activities, food, music, and utterly amazing 100% handcrafted merchandise to purchase. Even after over thirty years I think of it with longing and nostalgia every single year and wish my kids could have had the childhood I did.
You are so lucky to have had those experiences, Marlis. I’m sure it gives you such a lovely warm feeling inside when you think back on those times. Thanks for sharing.
xo Donni