Year: 2026

By Anne D’Urso-Rose New Englanders know that outdoor events have a short window of time to be enjoyed in these parts. So in a city like Malden with a vibrant community life, there are often overlapping events. Here’s a reflection on two events that took place on the same afternoon, Sept. 19. Fairy Houses flourish at Pine Banks Park There was no housing shortage for fairies on a sunny Saturday afternoon when families from Malden and surrounding communities gathered at Pine Banks Park for the annual Fairy House Festival.  “What I saw was four hours of parents and kids, on their hands and knees, making stuff together in the woods,” said Paul Hammersley, official photographer for the event. “And no one was on their phone.” Barbara Murphy, former Malden City Councilor and current Police Commissioner, said she started the event in 2015 “to bring children and parents back to nature.” She was inspired by the children’s storybook “Fairy Houses” by Tracy Kane and thought it would be a great idea to start a tradition here […]