Joyful giant trolls headed to NC cities, including 5 in Raleigh’s Dix Park
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Seven recycled wood troll sculptures by Thomas Dambo will debut across NC cities.
- Raleigh’s Dix Park will host five permanent trolls, boosting regional tourism draw.
- A separate Asheville exhibit will show 12 trolls, aiding post-storm tourism recovery.
North Carolina will be the new home of seven large troll sculptures, the largest North American installation for Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo.
Five of the larger than life trolls — made from recycled wood, salvaged pallets and fallen branches — will be permanently installed at Dorothea Dix Park. The Dix Park Conservancy announced last year that two would be built for the park.
One troll each will also be installed in Charlotte and High Point.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” said Ruffin Hall, president and CEO of Dix Park Conservancy. “It brings worldwide attention to Raleigh while creating a deeply local experience at Dix Park.”
The seven sculptures, which can be over 10 feet tall, will appear on Dambo’s global Trollmap, which shares the location of the more than 150 other trolls across five continents.
“Dambo has an international fan base who makes ‘pilgrimages’ to see the trolls,” Mayor Janet Cowell said. “With the family of trolls coming to Dix Park, combined with the attraction of Gipson Play Plaza, they will definitely be a distinctive, popular destination, easily attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.”
These will be the first trolls in North Carolina. The closest troll, Leo the Enlightened, is located on Black Berry Mountain Resort in Tennessee.
Trolls in North Carolina
Organizers are staying mum on their exact locations to encourage “discovery and exploration,” according to the conservancy news release.
“The joy is in the discovery,” Dambo said in the release. “The trolls are shy creatures. They like to be found, not announced.”
In addition to the trolls in Raleigh, Charlotte and High Point, North Carolina will host a traveling exhibition, “Trolls: A Field Study by Thomas Dambo,” at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville from Nov. 15 to Feb 17, 2026.
“This moment arrives as western North Carolina works to recover tourism revenue following Hurricane Helene, making it a timely opportunity to support arts and travel statewide,” according to the news release.
Volunteer to build the Raleigh trolls
The trolls are built using volunteers, and no carpentry experience is required. Volunteers must be 18 or older and may only sign up for two shifts.
Two types of volunteers are needed:
- Troll Sculpture Volunteers: This is for people who can help with construction tasks like disassembling pallets, sanding, oiling wood, using simple tools, organizing materials and cleaning around the build site.
- Hospitality Volunteers: This is for people who can set up and break down lunch for the artist team and volunteers, and provide “general on-site support.”
Volunteer sign-ups began for Dix Park Conservancy members at noon Sept. 2 and will begin for the general public at noon Sept. 17.
Information about how to sign up will be shared on the Conservancy’s social media and email channels, and on the project’s webpage: www.dixparkconservancy.org/art/dambo-trolls
An artist talk and book signing with Dambo will be held at the Greg Poole Jr. All Faiths Chapel at Dix Park on Oct. 23. The specific time and registration details will be shared at a later date.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 11:25 AM.
