Looking for a trail that doesn’t require an oversized backpack or bulky boots? Dublin has mastered the perfect combination of shopping, eating and drinking with its Irish Fairy Door and Celtic Cocktail trails that make for a perfect summer activity to get out and downtown.
Sara Blatnik, the marketing director for Visit Dublin Ohio, says both trails have not only positively impacted the city and businesses since its inception in 2016, but also provided a path for discovering Dublin and the ultimate family fun.
“We knew we had a lot of retail in the downtown Dublin area at the time that wanted foot traffic,” Blatnik says. “So, we started the Fairy Door Trail as something fun to do for families and kids but also drive traffic to those retailers.”
A trail that guides you through Historic Dublin and Bridge Park, the Irish Fairy Doors of Dublin began with only seven businesses but has since expanded to 11 business stops with almost 10,000 completions of the trail.
In order to fully complete the trail, hit every business and find each resident fairy. Once you find all 11 fairies, record their names in your passport and return the completed passport for a free Fairy Door T-shirt as your prize.
“It was really meant to be a tool that when people come to Dublin that they stay here rather than going to downtown Columbus or Polaris,” Blatnik says. “But what we found was that people are actually coming here for the trail.”
Without help from the Irish Fairy Door Company, this program wouldn’t look the same. In efforts to promote its new fairy kit toys, The Irish Fairy Door Company partnered with Visit Dublin Ohio to put out its kits in businesses for kids to find and fall in love with. As for each
business that’s a part of the trail, each door is customized, created and sent by the Irish Fairy Door Company from Dublin, Ireland as its own twist on finding the doors for the trail.
“It really reached beyond anything that we expected,” Blatnik says. “So, we want to keep growing on that ... because it brings (the businesses) about 1,500 to 1,800 people through their doors every year.”
A few businesses included in the trail are Flourish Boutique, Johnson’s Real Ice Cream and Dublin Toy Emporium. Enas Lanham, owner of Dublin Toy Emporium, is no stranger to the Irish Fairy Door trail, as her toy store remains a continuous feature since arriving in Dublin.
“It’s great for business,” Lanham says. “First of all, fairies and toys are connected so anyone that comes in, there is always something to buy or if not in that moment, in the future.”
Based on the success of the Irish Fairy Door trail, the second trail taking over Dublin is the Celtic Cocktail program that highlights the best of the city’s dining and craft cocktails with an Irish twist.
Featuring cocktails that include your favorite Irish whiskeys and Shamrock garnishes, 17 lucky libations will be available for you to stop, relax and drink as the trail goes on.
Locations on the trail include Fado Pub & Kitchen with an Aperol- and pineapple-infused Irish sunset cocktail, Vaso Rooftop Lounge with its A Night in Dublin cocktail and North High Brewing to grab Lucky Shots + Hops. It is noted that the Celtic Cocktail trail is not meant to be completed in one day.
As summer strolls on, the Irish Fairy Door Trail and Celtic Cocktail trails continue to invite families and adults from all over to discover the new looks and future opportunities that Dublin can offer them.
“The opportunities are endless,” Blatnik says. “We know that we’re driving traffic in sales to these businesses and we always try to keep it fresh for new ways to promote it and new audiences to participate.”
Isabelle Fisher is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
