BALTIMORE — The start of a new year - and the cold of winter - could be a good time for a whimsical, fantasy family experience.
A new event called Unicorn World will stop by Baltimore's Convention Center for one weekend, Jan. 20-21.
The "immersive, interactive" event features 10 animatronic unicorns, arts and crafts, games, play areas like bounce houses and face painting (for an additional price), a wish wall, and "the world's largest unicorn vending machine." Besides unicorns, a fairy and mermaids will also be walking around for photo opportunities.
Tennessee-based Patrick and Lauren Mines created Unicorn World a year ago and have since brought it to cities around the country.
Patrick Mines said he and his wife, who now have three children, "wanted to create an event that allowed parents and grandparents to create these magical memories with their children."
About the show, Mines said: "We've been amazed, and I think we underestimated, a) how much people love unicorns, but b) how much it brings out the magic and the creative side of people, not just children but adults."
I think there's a big part of people that wants to escape reality and enter this world where, either it reminds them of their childhood or they just get to step away from the real world a little bit and embrace this creativity and the creative side of themselves and let loose and sort of enter this mystical area.
Besides just having an immersive, unicorn-filled experience, the event is also meant to stimulate visitors' creativity and help them make special memories.
Unicorn World includes a children's book that tells the story of unicorns who lost their magic. An evil magician has taken it away from them, and the unicorns need the help of two children to get their magic back. The children have to solve three riddles to help the unicorns get their magic - and their bright colors - back.
Tickets are $30, and tickets can be bought online. Children under 2 are free. Tickets must be bought for a specific time slot, so attendees will need to purchase them ahead of time.
"The Baltimore show does look like it's going to sell out, so buy your tickets ahead of time," Patrick Mines noted.
