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Jersey Heritage is inviting islanders on a magic-filled fairy folklore adventure for the Easter holidays.
Every Friday, Express presents a selection of online and offline exhibitions, performances, workshops, events and other historic and creative content to help islanders get their weekly dose of culture.
Here's this week's offering...
The doors lead to the kingdom of the Fairy Folk - Les P’tits Faîtchieaux in Jèrriais. After noticing the fairies that are usually found at dolmens had moved in, Jersey Heritage staff decided it was about time this magical aspect of the island’s historic sites was shared with young people.
During the Easter holidays, families are being invited to follow a new Fairy Folklore Adventures trail, sponsored by Ogier.
Pictured: One of the fairy doors from Gorey castle.
The trail is spread across all Jersey Heritage sites and there are 18 fairy doors to discover. There are will be opportunities to learn the language of Les P’tits Faîtchieaux, to make the fairies a gift or write them a message, and enter a competition to design a fairy door along the way.
“The question people might be asking themselves is whether the doors have always been there? Or perhaps you can only see them if your mind is open to magic?” Nicky Lucas, Jersey Heritage’s Events Curator, said.
“Either way, we’re excited to share this trail with people over the Easter holidays and we hope they enjoy bringing a little magic into their lives.
“According to folklore, Les P’tits Faîtchieaux are generally very helpful, doing housework and odd jobs in exchange for cake and milk, but they can be mischievous and play tricks if they are crossed, we do ask people to be careful!”
Pictured: William and Finley found one of the doors at La Hougue Bie.
Edward Mackereth, Global Managing Partner at Ogier, added: “This project inspires curiosity, is a great chance to get outside and explore, and a chance to learn some Jèrriais. The trail is done in family groups so it’s innovative, fun and safe.”
The Fairy Folklore Adventures trail starts today and will run until Sunday 18 April. The deadline for the fairy door design competition is Friday 30 April 2021.
If you are not feeling magical, why not go explore one of the new heritage walk recently launched.
The self-guided walks, which are sponsored by Benest & Syvret, all start and finish at cafés around the island at Archirondel, Plémont and in St. Helier. They aim to take people on a stroll round the nearby area and highlight points of historical interest, ending at a café for refreshments.
The Archirondel walk is available to download from today and the other two will be available from next week. They are part of the popular ‘Heritage on Tap’ walking series, which was adapted from pub talks last year after the pandemic began and public gatherings became restricted.
“We’re all being encouraged to go outside more and explore the great outdoors, and you’d be hard pushed to take a walk anywhere in Jersey without coming across something linked to the island’s fascinating past,” Lucy Layton, Jersey Heritage’s Outreach Curator, said.
“Our free ‘Heritage on Tap’ walks tell some of the stories people can discover as they explore an area and we hope they enjoy having another three routes to choose from, especially with the promise of tea and cake at the end!”
The coastal walk from Archirondel takes about 50 minutes and includes a mixture of roads and footpaths, ending at the Driftwood Café. The historical points of interest along the way include a hidden guardhouse, a Victorian drinking fountain and a medieval stone cross.
Pictured: Jersey Zoo will be receiving a special visit from the White Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland this Easter.
The White Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland will be visiting Jersey Zoo between 11:00 and 13:00 until Monday 5 April.
Youngsters (under 10s) will be able to take part in a virtual Easter egg hunt while those a little be older can join a self-guided scavenger hunt. Both can be completed by visitors on their smartphone or tablet as they make their way around the zoor for a chance to win prizes from the Zoo’s gift shop!
Visitors can also enjoy virtual keeper talk films for an insight into the lives of some of the animals by scanning QR codes by the animal enclosures.
For those who are not able to visit the zoo, Saturday 3 April is ‘Virtual Zoo Day’. From 09:30 on Jersey Zoo’s Facebook page or You Tube Channel, islanders will be able to virtually meet some of the fascinating residents from the zoo and learn all about them from the expert keepers through a series behind-the-scenes films. There will also be a virtual scavenger hunt for a bid to win a Durrell animal adoption.
Whilst Autism Jersey might not be going quackers at Le Perquage for its annual duck race, this Easter punters can still try their luck with a virtual duck.
The duck race will start at 11:00 on Zoom on Easter Sunday with cash prizes for the fastest ducks.
Quacking power will be powering the ducks so if you decide to join, you better turn on your mic to make them go faster!
Pictured: The library will be screening performances from a Normandy-based circus festival.
In collaboration with Maison de Normandie, Jersey Library will be screening highlights from the Normandy-based circus festival ‘SPRING’ in the Library Lounge.
'SPRING' is an annual festival showcasing contemporary circus and new forms of circus. Taking place over five weeks, it features dozens of performances in various locations around Normandy. This year, due to the pandemic, the festival has shared some of the performances and conferences and Jersey Library will be sharing some of them.
The team at the Library has also organised an Easter Scavenger Hunt around town for those seeking an adventure as well as some colouring in to for the creative minds.
The maps with the clues can be collected from both the town and Les Quennevais libraries. The completed forms should then returned by 17 April for a chance to win an “exciting mystery prize”.
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