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"Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?"
The May Faire is Victorian history with a twist.
We will be celebrating the story of Peter Pan this year as well as the storied history of Hezekiah & Agnes Smith and the Smithville Mansion in this 50th Anniversary Year of Burlington County’s acquisition of the Smithville Park ground. This is a free event for the whole family.
“Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up”, was written by James Barrie in 1911 as a “fairy play” about an ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy who have adventures in a fantasy land called Neverland. He adapted it into a book called “Peter and Wendy”, which we are the most familiar with as Peter Pan today.
Built in 1840, the Smithville Mansion is the former home of Hezekiah B. Smith, an inventor, entrepreneur, and politician who founded the company town of Smithville in 1865, an international center for the production of woodworking machinery and the American Star Bicycle.
We welcome young and old to suspend their everyday life and adventure with us at May Faire in Neverland. There will be fun for everyone as we travel past the “Second star to the right and straight on til morning”.
- Pirates of Fortune’s Folly’s interactive Peter Pan experience
- Peter Pan play by Riddlesbrood Touring Theater
- Wandering Peter Pan Characters
- Tea Party by by Tea-For-All – have a spot of tea before or after your adventure.
- The Magical Bubbleverse
- American Magic Lantern Theater
- Horn's Punch & Judy Show
- May Pole and Millstone River Morris Dancers.
- Fantasy Face Painting and balloon artist (additional charge to benefit the Friends of the Mansion at Smithville)
- Screening of the 1924 silent film “Peter Pan” with original music and sound effects performed live by the Pine Barrens Synth Club.
- Fairy Hunt in the Smithville Mansion Boxwood Maze.
- Historic Arts & Crafts Demonstrations; Blacksmith, Basketry, NYC Tintype Photography.
- Tours of the stately Historic Smithville Mansion decorated with period furniture ($5 additional benefitting the Friends of the Mansion at Smithville) and tours of the grounds (Free)
- The New Jersey Wheelmen will be displaying their vintage bicycles
- Vintage Baseball Exhibition Game; Athletic Baseball Club of Philadelphia and the Monmouth Furnace teams playing by 1864 rules.
- Artisan Marketplace with talented local artisans displaying a variety of handmade items.
- History groups from all over Burlington County sharing their stories, including the story of how Smithville became a Burlington County Park.
- Displays of machinery produced by H.B.Smith.
- 2nd PA Regiment encampment
- Live Music
- E Boro Bandits
- Kids Craft Activities
- Horse & Carriage rides
- Beer Garden to support the Burlington County Saint Patrick’s Parade
- Foodies bring your appetites; we’ll have Food Trucks!