Fairy Trail Walk for Esther 2025
What an outcome!
Organizing the second Fairy Trail Walk for Esther was an exciting endeavour, filled with anticipation and dreams of what could happen. The reality, though, hinged on a myriad of factors like the whims of the weather, the number of delightful guests who could attend, and the overall spirit of the day. I'm thrilled to report that the 2025 edition of the Fairy Trail Walk for Esther was nothing short of spectacular. We were graced with a medley of weather conditions, yet, thankfully, the rain clouds decided to spare us. Our guests eagerly journeyed from one enchanting post to another, captivated by the tales spun by our three passionate storytellers. The story, presented in 21 posts, shows various fairy tales, including an extra mix-up.
As the event drew to a close, everyone was entertained by a whimsically remarkable story about a rooster and its epic struggle against a nefarious, miserable, moody cabbage. The Grand Salto Theater put the perfect finishing touch on our adventure, presenting the play "Adventure of the Little Rooster" that left everyone in awe.
I am overflowing with gratitude and would love to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful folks who registered, the incredible team at Newmarket Library, my dear friend Theresa, and our enchanting storytellers Viola, Rosha, and Violet—a special shoutout to Greg King from NewmarketToday.ca for his support. Let's not forget our dedicated sponsors, our famous Jackie Playter and the team at VIVO Pizza & Pasta in Newmarket, whose generosity made this magical event possible.
From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of my sister Esther, I say with the most profound appreciation and a twinkle in my eye: THANK YOU. Your support and enthusiasm made the Fairy Trail Walk for Esther a reality, and for that, I am always grateful.
Christian Wehrli, Co-Founder of the Fairy Trail Walk, Newmarket, Ontario.
What the heck is a Fairy Trail Walk? That question is easy to be answered. The name is a combination of three components:
- Esther was a fairy tale storyteller all her life.
- Fairy Lake is an important part of Newmarket
- Tom Taylor Trail offers to move and be moved.
- My sister Esther loved this combination presenting her life and her passion for fairytales and health.
Who is Esther?
Esther Hirschi-Wehrli was a passionate Fairytale Storyteller and a counselor in education. She turned out to become a big fan of Canada, especially Newmarket, when she visited her brother Christian in 2018.
Esther passed away on May 26, 2021.
Christian Wehrli will organize a fundraiser event called THE FAIRY TRAIL WALK to honour his beloved sister Esther. One of Esther’s last wish was, to buy fairytale and childrens books for the Newmarket Public Library.
Esther Hirschi-Wehrli | 1958 - 2021
Esther and the fairy tales
Esther always loved fairy tales, ever since she discovered reading. The Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen’s well-known fairy tales stimulated her to discover more unknown fairy tales from other countries and cultures. The fairytale virus tempted Esther to become a fairytale teller. On many occasions she appeared on stage and performed Arabic, Turkish or Scandinavian fairy tales together with a passion which astonished her family and friends and inspired her enthusiasm even more.
Esther and the children
Being a kindergarten teacher was her childhood dream job and Esther specialized in children with disabilities from the very beginning. Both her own children, Douniya and Raphael, have followed in the footsteps of their dedicated mother. Throughout her life, Esther, the fairy godmother, was able to combine the two most important things in her life: Children and fairy tales. Esther dedicated everything to her children, not only to Douniya and Raphael.
Esther and Christian
As the youngest, Esther grew up with three brothers. Christian is three years older and he always saw himself as the one who protected her. This ambition of Christian was sometimes not to Esther’s approval. In March 2016, when Christian left for Canada, Esther was deeply saddened and devastated. Esther traveled to Canada two years later to inspect her brother’s world. When she returned to Switzerland, she was convinced that her brother had found his true home in Canada. Until her last breath, she hoped that Christian would be officially accepted by the Canadian government. Sadly, she was not able to experience this joy anymore, as she passed away on May 26, 2021.
Esther & Fairy Trail Walk
Before her passing, Esther was hoping that the Fairy Trail Walk for Esther would become a magical family event. Now it is happening, Esther’s Fairy Tail lives on in a story walk, allowing children and the childlike in and around Newmarket to read and live their own fairy tales.
