Following the success of its first event, the creator of Faeryscape: Afro Fae Day is back, bigger and better! For his next event called RealmScape, King J’vonte Lee, with his strong second, Christopher Hefty (known as drag performer Bella Naughty), and other members of the team, has been working tirelessly to make a fantastic experience for the attendees and vendors, but to do so, they are seeking public funding. “That’s my biggest goal right now because I don’t want to keep this as a festival; I want to turn it into a sort of theme park or pop-up traveling circus type. There is so much I want to do to make this a very fantastical, magical experience for everyone!” King J’vonte envisioned.
RealmScape by King J’vonte Lee is a renaissance or fantasy-themed BIPOC & LGBTQIA+ lead event celebrating Afro-Fae culture. Better known as the “Best Seelie King of 2022” of The Baltimore Faerie Faire Community and now Ambassador of Brown Sugar Fairies and Sponsee of FairyPop & Moon Moth Wings, King J’vonte’s vision is to bring all persons and magical beings together to celebrate and transform themselves within the breathtaking world that is RealmScape—celebrating the Mystical Cultures of colors by educating, fundraising, and connecting while collaging fantasy fandom with inclusive multi-folk culture and spirituality.
“I want to offer a better experience. I want to expose all shades of brown culture because some see it as people wanting to dress up as cosplay. But that’s not true; it’s more than that. This can be more about identity for people. This is a lifestyle we’re exposing to other people who don’t know we’re here,” he explained.
A Renaissance fantasy-focused event, the first of its kind on the East Coast, celebrating people of all backgrounds and ethnicities, RealmScape is more than just a cosplay event; it is a fantastic and magical experience and a platform celebrating the visibility of BIPOC that’s inclusive to all who wants to support. They bring accessibility awareness and LGBTIA+ acceptance of fantasy people and its culture, where people can embrace their true selves, play dress-up, win prizes, meet like minded individuals, admire creative fun, explore or share education, and more. “Come discover yourself in the way of mystic!” King J’vonte said.
Going all in on the Renaissance theme, the festival will transport attendees to a fairytale world of faeries, big giant mushrooms, old ruined castles, and mermaid cove, where they meet pirates, stilt walkers as giants, merfolks and other magical beings. It will have headliner Danielle Houston, Mint Siegel (Mint Faery), Sammy the MerThey, Dorian Banks and other wonderful entertainers, panelists and interactive actors who will also be present, showcasing their lifestyle and creative magical art tricks. In essence, RealmScape embodies the spirit of a Disney or Renaissance fair but with a distinct twist that caters to all Fae and Magi Conduits, uniting them in a shared celebration that is imbued with a deeper sense of community purpose.
In addition to organizing a delightful dress-up festivity for families to revel in, the event hosts are also crafting a sophisticated evening ball and a special fundraiser event for the grown-ups to let loose and mingle in an exclusively adult ambiance. Moreover, a fraction of the proceeds from the event will be contributed to the Baltimore Abortion Fund and other forthcoming organizations to aid and uplift our cherished BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ comrades. The event showcases all styles of performance arts, with headliner Eva Mystique, Manuex as Latinx dreamy pop singer, a pole dancing merman and other great performers who contribute their time to this heartwarming fundraiser. The Baltimore Abortion Fund offers safe access to abortion care for patients of all genders, including trans and cis women.
To participate in the exciting and community-unifying event of RealmScapes, individuals can volunteer, perform, become vendors or sponsors, or contribute to the event’s GoFundMe campaign. The latest updates on the upcoming event can be found by visiting the official website or following RealmScapes on social media.
Sharing his motivation for spearheading the unique event, King J’vonte said, “From my personal experience, feeling the difference and the division, like not being welcome in a certain club or you see things that can be done differently, but no one wants to do it. So you start your brand and find other like-minded individuals that would love to support the brand.” He added, “So I knew it was a well-needed space, which inspired and motivated me to do this. It was a real need for the community of Fae, considering how evolved the muggle world has become.”
In an effort to reach and connect with more individuals within the community, King J’vonte has developed an innovative virtual platform and social gathering groups, such as the Afro-Magicka Community, which welcomes individuals of all shades of brown and hair textures to network and support BIPOC-owned businesses and artists. This platform also provides a place for individuals to find like-minded friends or events to attend, ensuring they never feel isolated in uncomfortable spaces. In addition, he has established the Quirky-Fey Community for the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies. King J’vonte celebrates these communities by designating certain months like Afro-Faebruary/Black-Faebruary and Junifae and promoting the use of hashtags to share in the festivities on an international level.
