Prospect Park’s Ice Fairies Are Back, But More Elusive Than Ever

Ice Fairies have returned to the southern end of Prospect Park, as evidenced by the ice fairy rings cropping up around both the Lake and the Lullwater.

“You don’t spot the fairies themselves very often,” said Marcy McClonick, Director of Folkloric Community Relations, “but their fairy rings can last late into the morning hours, sometimes as late as noon.” 

The small rings, explained McClonick, are the result of the Ice Fairies’ festive winter circle dances, or “Carolas,” which usually take place just after moonrise.

McClonick says that as far as she knows, no one has spotted the ice fairies themselves yet this season, though the Prospect Park Amateur Fairy Watchers Club (PPAFWC) has been logging long hours in the nighttime chill. For those hoping for a glimpse, McClonick reminds us that Ice “Fairies” are not actually of the faerie folk clans, but more like tiny elemental sprites, often with a silvery-yellow glow.

If you do spot an Ice Fairy, the PPAFWC asks that you report it through this website for record-keeping purposes.