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Celebrate one year of the Northwest Trolls in Seattle

Throughout August and September, the beloved Northwest Trolls are celebrating their first birthday with community events.

A giant wooden troll sits with its legs crossed amid some trees, which are barely taller than the troll itself. Two people stand by one of the legs folded in front of the troll, barely reaching its knees. A sparkly birthday hat has been edited into the image on the troll's head, along with a balloon shaped like the number one with a string dangling from the troll's fist.

*Sniff, sniff* They grow up so fast.

Photo by SEAtoday Staff, edited via Canva

This August, the iconic “Northwest Trolls” are turning one. This set of six giant trolls, five of which are located in or near Seattle, have been quite the talk of the town since they first spawned in the PNW last year.

Created by Danish environmental artist Thomas Dambo, these mystical wooden figures have led curious visitors on quite the excursion — you have to use the troll map to hunt them down, since their locations are supposed to be hush hush.

To celebrate the installation’s widespread success + the start of the trolls’ “terrible twos,” Nordic Design Foundation is hosting free whimsical events:

  • Community Restoration Event for Bruun Idun | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Lincoln Park | Help restore Bruun Idun’s natural habitat and make space for winter planting season.
  • Ice Cream Social for Bruun Idun Day | Sunday, Aug. 25 | 12 p.m. | Lincoln Park | Honor West Seattle’s Bruun Idun with frozen treats and water views.
  • Jakob Two Tree’s Birthday Celebration | Friday, Sept. 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Rainier Trail, Issaquah | Follow the trail to Jakob Two Tree’s hiding place for birthday cake and a recycled art-making event.
  • Oscar the Bird King Troll-a-versary | Sunday, Sept. 15 | Times TBD | Pt. Robinson, Vashon Island | The island is celebrating its troll near the historic Point Robinson Lighthouse, with more details to come.

Environment clean-ups, trail hikes, recycled art, and towering woodland trolls — it truly doesn’t get more Seattle than that.

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