Channel your inner spirit creature, fairy, gnome, wizard, dragon or something else, and head to the 9th Annual Midsummer Magic promotion this weekend, July 12 and 13, in Downtown Fayetteville.
Alternatively, superpower up and propel, fly, tunnel, jettison, levitate or apparate to attend however you can. A beastie’s gotta do what a beastie’s gotta do.
The Downtown Alliance-sponsored enchantment happens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fri., July 12 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. July 13. Fan favorites from previous years, including a scavenger hunt, fairy-themed activities, trivia, animal and performer appearances and participating merchant specials, promise magical fun for all ages. While there is no admission fee, some activities and specials will have an associated cost.
Midsummer Magic aims to “boost downtown commerce and bring joy to revelers of all ages,” according to Marketing Coordinator Betsy McElwee. “We hope you will join us for this two-day promotion crafted to beckon visitors to our vibrant downtown businesses, all amidst the enchantment of midsummer's spellbinding allure,” she said.
New this year is a costume contest station hosted by Midsummer Magic merchant chair, Turner Lane. Costumed participants — and pooches — are encouraged to stop by Turner Lane, located at 242A Hay Street, during the promotion hours and hashtag their picture #MidsummerMagicFayNC at the costume contest station to be entered to win prizes in the costume contest officially.
Contest Categories are Downtown Business, Kids 0-4, Kids 5-10, Kids 12-17, Adult, Group and Best Dog. Midsummer Magic revelers have always dressed up to show their sprite spirit; this year, bling and the bragging rights for being the best-dressed beastie in town are cool additions to the party.
Turner Lane owner Elaine Kelley is an integral part of the Midsummer Magic promotion. She said, “We started Midsummer Magic to allow the community to share in the magic we business owners feel everyday about our downtown business community. We love to see people of all ages dress up as magical characters and wander the streets on the magic quest and enjoy the fun. Although it is not a festival, we will have street entertainment, music, art and of course, llamas!”
Another contest targets art aficionados. Coloring pages, available for download at https://www.faydta.com/, can be returned to select participating businesses this week to receive a bonus entry drawing in the Fairy Door Scavenger Hunt & Quest, the promotion’s signature event.
The Fairy Door Scavenger Hunt & Quest is a two-day adventure “where ethereal adventures await amidst the labyrinth of downtown treasures,” per the Downtown Alliance’s recent news release. Questers will explore the wealth of retail stores, restaurants, arts venues and eclectic businesses in Downtown Fayetteville while participating in the fairy-themed fun and games.
To get started, arrive between 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fri. July 12th with a Fairy Journal, found online at the Downtown Alliance’s webpage, that provides the map and instructions for the hunt. This map will also contain all the themed promotions and activities at downtown businesses.
Greg’s Pottery is one returning participant jumping on the fairy-themed wagon with both wings. Owner Kelly Hathaway said, “I love the Midsummer Magic event because it’s old-fashioned fun for kids and adults to do together, (things like) following a map, looking for clues, figuring out the word scramble, etc.
"The fairy door search gets people to explore Downtown and go into shops they may not have visited before, so it’s great exposure for businesses.
"Through the years, more people have started dressing up as fairies, and that’s always fun to see. We will have fairy-themed pottery at Greg's Pottery, including various mushrooms and gnomes to paint.”
Flower crowns are the rave at The Downtown Market, which owner Joanna Brumm delights in crafting for her wee fairy visitors. “I would say it been one of the most popular events downtown every year and people really get into it with their costumes,” she commented. “The little fairies (kids) are the cutest things running around. I love making the floral crowns available for the little fairies.”
The Midsummer Magic Crawl, for ages 18+, returns Friday at 6 p.m. Participating downtown businesses will have special mocktails, cocktails and other drink specials featured on their menus.
“We’ll publish a list of drink specials and activities during the crawl. And we'll have about 15 or more bars and restaurants, food-based businesses, and a few cafes. It won’t only be alcohol. There’ll be some businesses that will have a dessert on the menu. Because not every business that’s doing the crawl has alcohol, but a big portion of them do,” McElwee said.
On Saturday, downtown goers can visit with the LlamaCorns, whimsical unicorn-outfitted llamas, that stroll the farmers market and downtown shops, meet gnomes and other characters and continue the Fairy Door Hunt and Quest.
All entries must be turned in by 6 p.m. on July 13 to be eligible to win prizes. McElwee noted that prizes will be awarded to three groups who return the Quest form and have all correct answers.
Unless you are like “gnome other” in trivia challenges, you may appreciate the friendly helpers McElwee next described.
“There will also be traveling gnomes throughout the day, which will help people answer different questions on the quest. So, there will be different random kinds of trivia questions, and a gnome may answer that question for you, or they may tell you where you need to go to find the answer. There is a book of knowledge downtown, but you’ll need to locate the book of knowledge to answer the question,” McElwee said.
So, let the mystic begin and enjoy all the fun and fantasy the Downtown Alliance’s Midsummer Magic weekend provides. For more information on contests and downloads, visit https://www.faydta.com.
Stay up to date on all events by following @downtownalliance on Facebook.

(Top Photo: The Llamacorns are a staple of Midsummer Magic. Llamas dressed up as unicorns will be making their way around downtown during Midsummer Magic. Photos courtesy of Downtown Alliance. Middle Photo: Fahada, a performer at previous Midsummer Magics, will be downtown for this year as well.  Bottom Photo: An attendee at Midsummer Magic is dressed as a fairy for the event. )