Things you didn’t know you needed until you experienced them: Lantern Puppets dancing at the Mini Lantern Parade last month! Thank you @diskette.tv for the footage !

✨ Menagerie of the Imaginary Recipe Part 6 ✨ 🍒THE CHERRY ON TOP🍒 There’s just one ingredient missing: Your support. Please donate so we can continue to concoct and serve the delicious whimsy, delight and connection you have come to expect from us. The link is in our bio and our stories. Thank you to everyone who has already donated and sponsored. We appreciate you!

✨ Menagerie of the Imaginary Recipe Part 5 ✨ Step 3: Assemble Combine your special sauce and parade ingredients in a large pot or park. Serve over a bed of solid and dedicated community support provided by 40 volunteers and hundreds of hours of RAS staff time. Stir carefully and observe. The dish should sparkle with light and delight. Serve to your community while still warm and luminous. All photos but second by Doug Loneman.

✨Menagerie of the Imaginary Recipe Part 4✨ Step 2: Gather your parade ingredients continued. 9 Whirling Wonders from Illumindance and Bozeman Belly Dance to dazzle our eyes 14 Perfect Percussionists to evoke water, earth and air 1 Marvelous Wizard of Light to lead the parade Ingredient Sources: Dancers coordinated by Melissa Wannamaker of Illumindance Percussionists coordinated by Jeff Vick, Stephen Versaevel, Kris Olsen, Cierra Wallace and Mark Brown Wizard of Light Cody Henderson Photos by Loneman Photography

✨Menagerie of the Imaginary Recipe Part 3✨ Step 2: Gather your parade ingredients. 30ish Large, Lovely and Ludicrous Lanterns made by MSU students. This is a very important ingredient. Every year, program coordinator and lantern maker Jade Lowder oversees over 100 students in Ideation and Creativity classes, as part of the Foundations Program for the MSU School of Art. They work in small groups to create lanterns for the parade. Their instructions: make an imaginary creature lantern that envokes delight, whimsy and/or awe. Every year they deliver spectacularly. We’ll repost an article in stories from the MSU Exponent which describes this even more. Photos by Loneman Photography.

✨ Recipe for Menagerie of the Imaginary Part 2 ✨ Step 1: Special Sauce continued Gather your ingredients: 379 lanterns made in free community workshops 3 Large Puppet Lanterns made by local artists. Important new ingredient this year: Extra Spicy Phinneas the Phantastical Phoenix! Shake these ingredients well in a Mini Parade and Dance Party! It is important to ensure these ingredients mingle nicely to a groovy beat with community members of all ages. Large lanterns created and puppeteered by: Steve Allison-Bunnell Matt Cameron Thomas Dunning Rachel Ingle Emmi Kat Johnson Jade Lowder Tory Moeckel Kelsi Tjernagel Angela Yonke Photography by Loneman Photography

✨Recipe for Menagerie of the Imaginary - Part 1✨ We’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to make a lantern celebration, so we’re going share our secret recipe, one step at a time over the next few days. Step 1: Special Sauce Gather your ingredients: 379 lanterns made in 6 community workshops, fortified by 4 community business sponsors. Variety is important, so invite everyone to participate for free. To be continued…

We are still glowing from a joyful weekend of lanterns, performance, and community celebration. How was it for you? We would love to hear from you! Please fill out the survey linked in our bio. Huge thanks to everyone who was part of the lantern festivities from volunteering to parading to watching. It was a delight to see so many happy faces and so much creativity on display! Over the next week we’ll be breaking it down and posting about all the different elements that came together in this celebratory event. Gorgeous photos by @loneman_photography

🧡Happy Lantern Parade Day! 🧡 We will see you! 6:00pm tonight at Gallatin Regional Park. Art by an anonymous young friend of RAS

Meet Phinneas the Phantastical Phoenix! 🐦‍🔥 Phinny, as his friends call him, was created by a terrifically talented team of local artists and will be making his debut tonight at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in the Mini Lantern Parade. This will be a chance to meet Phinny up close, along with his friends Amelia the Bird Horse and Echo the Dragoon. Festivities begin at 6:00 on the Treasure State Lawn west of the Exhibit Buildings. Phinny and friends will also be lighting up the Menagerie of the Menagerie Lantern Parade tomorrow, at 6::00 pm at the Gallatin Regional Park. Please join us for these celebrations of light and community. Phinny was created by a terrifically talented group of artists: Steve Allison-Bunnell, Matt Cameron, Thomas Dunning, Rachel Ingle, Emmi Kat Johnson, Jade Lowder, Tory Moeckel, Kelsi Tjernagel, and Angela Yonke. We are forever grateful to @andrewkimpuppets of @thingumatheatre for his instruction last year. Big thanks as well to @newageartisans who allowed us to use their workshop to create Phinny. ❤️‍🔥

We can’t wait to see you on Saturday at the Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade! Above is everything you need to Know Before You Glow! Quick deets: Saturday 2/21 6pm at Gallatin Regional Park. This information, along with a downloadable map and KBYG pdf, is on our website. The web site is translatable to most languages by clicking the Select Language button on the top right of every page. Follow the link in our bio. See you there!

QQ: Are you planning to walk in the parade on Saturday? We’d love to know so we can send you some instructions! If you made a lantern in years past or are making one this year (outside of our workshops) please register on our website, the link is in our bio. We’ll give you the scoop on the new participant parking shuttle, where to go to line up with your realm (earth, air or water) and other hot tips for what looks to be a cold night. FAQ The new Mini Lantern Parade for our youngest and oldest fans will take place at the Fairgrounds at 6pm on Friday night. Gather on the West side of the Exhibit buildings near Tamarack. No registration required! The 3rd Annual Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade will take place on Saturday at 6pm, Gallatin Regional Park. Parade participants for this parade are limited to 12 and over. Under 12s are welcome to watch or to participate in the Mini Parade. You are also welcome to bring your lantern and not walk in the parade. The more light in the darkness, the better! See you soon!

🩷Will you be our volunteer valentine? 🩷We are looking for a few more volunteers to help with the lantern parade next weekend, Saturday 2/21. A variety of jobs and times are available - see the link in our bio. Thank you in advance! 😍

The Menagerie of the Imaginary is a tongue twister! We asked Roxy to say Menagerie of the Imaginary three times fast and couldn’t stop giggling. We would LOVE to hear you say it too! Please post a reel or story of yourself saying those magic words three times fast and tag us so we can share the fun! The Menagerie of the Imaginary lantern parade is coming up soon! February 21st at 6pm at Gallatin Regional Park. More info is on our website, link in our bio.

Last chance to decorate a paper lantern with us! Join us for the final workshop of the season on Sunday 2/8 10am-1pm at the Fairgrounds! This workshop is free, drop in, and all ages are welcome. Thank you to our partner @gallatincountyfairgrounds and our sponsors @owenhouseace, @wildjoescoffee , @thesapphiremotel and @impulse.beans !!!

🕺🏼The outfits aren’t quite as cool as these ones, but we guarantee you’ll be our hero if you volunteer with us at the lantern parade on Saturday, February 21st! 🦸🏻‍♀️ With hundreds of participants and thousands of visitors, the parade has grown and we would love your help! If you don’t want to miss out on watching the big parade, there are many volunteer opportunities before and after the main event. Here’s some of the options: 💪🏽Help set up for the parade by shlepping stuff in the afternoon 📣Ride the participant shuttle hyping people up and providing information 🚗Assist with parking until the parade starts, then help clean up afterwards 🧹Help clean up the park the day after More information and a link to sign up can be found on the lantern page on our website. The link is in our bio. We hope you’ll consider being an essential part of this luminous community tradition! Photos by Doug Loneman #randomactsofsilliness #bozemanpublicart #bozemanlanternparade

A letter from Emily, our new Executive Enchantment Director 🪄✨✨✨✨ Hello! It’s an absolute treat to introduce myself to the Silliverse! Until now, I’ve been among you - enjoying the amazing Silly Acts brought about by a crew of incredible creators, volunteers, and staff. They’ve generously invited me to join their ranks, and I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. My name is Emily Zlotnicka, and I am the incoming Executive Enchantment Director at Random Acts of Silliness. Our team is growing and changing a bit, with the goal of bringing you the same joy you know and love. When I was offered this role, I knew it meant being part of an organization that is creating smiles all across our community, and meeting the team and board certainly underlined the passion behind this organization for me. As for me, you might recognize my face (or difficult Polish last name) from prior involvement in other nonprofits or from chasing my young sons around Bridger Bowl. I am looking forward to supporting RAS as it continues the creative work that makes it - and this community - so unique and special. We’re in the thick of lantern creation as I write this! Making lasting connections with local individuals and businesses who recognize the impact of this work is a thrilling aspect of this role – as well as being able to meet the amazing creators. For the last five years, Anna and Danielle have done an incredible job of building this ship. I’m excited that my involvement means that they can focus on the creative endeavors of the organization while I keep the nuts and bolts aligned. Speaking of which, if you’re curious to learn more about RAS, become involved, or explore how we can partner, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at emily@randomactsofsilliness.com. With excitement - a lot of it! Emily Zlotnicka Learn more about Emily and the rest of our team on our website!

THANK YOU BOZEMAN! We knew you loved Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village, but you blew us away! Thank you for voting for Bumblewood Thicket in @bozemag ‘ 2026 Bozeman’s Choice Poll! #1 Public Art Installation! #2 Annual Event! #2 Local Book Released! #3 Local Sports/Rec Summer Event!

🌜Willow Lantern Workshops are this weekend! Learn how to construct and decorate this traditional stick built lantern style with local artist Tory Moeckel. 🌛 When: Saturday 1/24 4-7pm and Sunday 1/25 10am-1pm Where: Gallatin County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building 4. ➡️ Workshops are free, open to all, and drop-in. ✨However ✨ here’s some important things to know: - This workshop is best suited for adults and kids over 12. Kids younger than that are welcome but will need a lot of adult help and patience. - These lanterns take 2-3 hours to create so please arrive on time. - Space is limited due to the labor intensive nature of this type of lantern, so we will be cutting off attendance when full. 🟠The final weekend of workshops will be 2/7 and 2/8 when we’ll be decorating paper globes again. These workshops are a better fit for younger families. You can find more information on our website! 🟢

As we prepare for the 2026 Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade(s) we are looking back at last year’s parade. What a wonderful experience that was! ✨Save the dates✨ ✨Mini Lantern Parade ✨ Friday, February 20th 6:00pm Gallatin County Fairgrounds Smaller, more accessible parade designed for kiddos and folks who find navigating Gallatin Regional Park difficult. Also a chance to meet the large lantern puppets up close, including the new phoenix!🐦‍🔥 ✨Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade✨ Saturday, February 21st 6:00pm Gallatin Regional Park The 3rd Annual Lantern parade will include include lanterns made by local artists, MSU students, and community members alongside local musicians and Illumidance dancers! If you are interested in participating in the parade with a lantern of your own, please sign up on our website so we can send you more information! #montanapublicart #Bozemanpublicart #randomactsofsilliness #montanalanternparade #bozemanlanternparade

Hello friends, This is my last dispatch as the Executive Enchantment Director for RAS - the greatest job title I will ever hold! RAS started during the COVID-19 pandemic as a few small, experimental projects to help stay connected to friends, spread joy and–frankly–entertain my young kids. I never intended to start an organization! RAS could have been a fun diversion and faded into the past as a Covid-era memory. But our community of artists, donors, volunteers and joy-seekers (YOU) embraced and supported these whimsical projects and kept us creating. Today, we are at a special moment where RAS has cemented itself as a fixture in our beloved community! Over the last year, our AMAZING Board of Directors, staff, and some special advisors have been laying out a blueprint that will allow the organization to generate joyful art experiences well into the future. I’m typically more excited about gnomes and shadow puppets than I am about strategic plans, but I am thrilled about the behind-the-scenes work that has brought us to this moment. THE SILLINESS IS STICKING AROUND! (Yes, I’m shouting! I’m excited!) Our big events–Fairies! Lanterns! Crankies!–will flourish and we’ll have more space to experiment, play, and create in new ways. This new phase is punctuated by my passing the magic wand to a new Executive Enchantment Director (you’ll meet her soon!). She, along with our dedicated staff of Anna, Sarah, and Jessica, will carry RAS to new heights of magic.  You’ll still find me in the RAS family doing the things I do best: scheming up new ways to make you all smile and supporting the organization as the Special Projects Pixie.  My biggest love to my family–Matthew, Fletcher and Willa–who have shared this passion project for almost 6 years. From building crankie boxes to late night fairy village repairs, and more fantastical brainstorming than any family should have to listen to, they have given so much to RAS. And to all of you. These years have carried me on a wave of joy, creativity, and fulfillment unlike anything I have ever experienced. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.* Always yours in magic, Danielle Thomsen *that’s just a bit of pixie dust in my eye.

Want to make one of these? Our first community lantern workshops are this weekend, where you can learn to decorate a glowing globe.* 🟡Glowing Globe Workshops at Gallatin County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building 4🟡 Saturday 1/10 4-7pm and Sunday 1/11 1-4pm Things to know: 🔴 All workshops are free and drop in, no pre-registration required. 🟠 All are welcome, although workshops are best suited for ages 5 to adult. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult. 🟡 All necessary supplies and tools will be provided. 🟢 Although these workshops are drop-in, please allow at least an hour to finish your lantern 🔵 More workshop dates are on our website. 🟣 Questions? DM us here or email hello@randomactsofsilliness.com * Results may vary 😀 #montanapublicart #bozemanpublicart #lanternparade #randomactsofsilliness

🟡 Our free community lantern workshops will begin on Saturday, January 10th and continue into early February. Read on for more information! 🟢 🟣 Glowing Globe Workshops 🔵 Decorate vibrant paper globe lanterns with tissue paper at Gallatin County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building 4 Saturday 1/10 4-7pm and Sunday 1/11 1-4pm Things to know: 🔴 All workshops are free and drop in, no pre-registration required. 🟠 All are welcome, although workshops are best suited for ages 5 to adult. Children must be accompanied by a participating adult. 🟡 All necessary supplies and tools will be provided. 🟢 Although these workshops are drop-in, please allow at least an hour to finish your lantern 🔵 More workshop dates are on our website. 🟣 Questions? DM us here or email hello@randomactsofsilliness.com #bozemancommunityart #bozemanpublicart #randomactsofsilliness #lanternparade

Happy New Year!!! We hope 2026 brings you love, laughter, purpose, connection and - most of all - lots of random acts of silliness. We’re going to do our best to help make that happen! This video of our Silly Monster Marching Band in the 2023 Sweet Pea parade sums up the vibe we’ll be channeling in 2026. Huge gratitude to all of YOU who are part of this very serious business of making silliness. #bozemanart #bozemanpublicart #randomactsofsilliness #sillymonsters #sweetpeafestival

“This work is the antidote to all the ick in the world.” We hope all of you out there had a cozy, joyful, and entirely ick free holiday! If you have considered donating to Random Acts of Silliness but haven’t done it yet, we would LOVE to receive your donation of any amount. Even $10 goes a long way in the un-ickifying of the world and we are grateful for it. Art by Marla Goodman @brownpapergranny (where you can find lots more of her charming art.)

Hooray for the return of the light! Happy winter solstice to those who celebrate. 🌞 Speaking of light, we’re ramping up for the 2026 Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade on February 21st, 2026! Photo by @loneman_photography ✨

“RAS is one of the most beautiful parts of being in Bozeman. I am in awe of everything that you create! Thank you for being a haven in a difficult world. xx” In 2025 alone, RAS installations and events received roughly 31,000 visitors. All those people got to experience an infusion of connection and joy through our wild, whimsical, and awe inspiring art installations and performances! As you probably know, everything we present is free and open to the public, period. This means we rely on donations - from those of you who are able - to make these events accessible to everyone. To those of you who have already donated this year, thank you from the bottom of our silly but serious hearts. If you haven’t donated yet, please consider giving to help make sure our entire community can experience joy, silliness, and connection. The link to donate is in our bio. ✨ Huge gushy pixie dust-covered thanks and well wishes from all of us at Random Acts of Silliness. Staff: Danielle, Anna, Jessica, and Sarah Board: Amy, EJ, Lander, Maddy, and Suzy

Hello insta buddies! I am so excited to address you directly for the first time! For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been with RAS from the beginning when our founder and director Danielle had the wild and wonderful idea to create our first fairy village in 2020. My role has changed a lot since then and I have been gone for almost a year to receive cancer treatment. I am giddily happy to say that I am in remission and back at RAS, this time as Wonder & Whimsy Director! (In non-RAS terms, this means I am now our Creative & Communications Director.) I will be leading our creative team in coming up with and implementing zany new random acts of silliness while also maintaining our beloved annual traditions. I’ll be managing our social media, writing newsletters, and telling the magical stories of RAS and our community in whatever ways I can. I am delighted to be back in this organization that I adore, helping to make the magic happen. Thank YOU for being part of it too! Whimsically yours, Anna Visscher PS I love questions, so fire away in the comments if you have any!

“I’ve never felt so connected to my community and I’ve never felt like I’ve been part of something that created so much joy before” Lantern Parade Participant As we plan for the next Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade, it’s fun to look back at this year’s parade and all the awe - and giggle - inspiring lanterns that participated. We are very grateful to all the community members who participate in this new but beloved annual tradition! The 3rd Annual Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade will take place on Saturday, February 21st, 2026, preceded by lantern making workshops and a new event on Friday the 20th - a Lantern Petting Zoo & Mini Parade. Stay tuned for more info! Photos by @loneman_photography

We recently visited our Chief Adorableness Officer Roxy Monster in her cozy cave. We talked about a lot of silly things, but Roxy wanted all of you to know that our Year End Campaign is happening now. She would be so happy if you would donate a little bit or a lot, or in between. You can do so on our website, which is linked in our bio. Big fuzzy thanks in advance from Roxy and our team at RAS. 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵 PS Roxy says that if we meet our goal, she’ll show you her epic dance moves. Now there’s motivation!

Exciting news! Led by the lovely canine Clover, a wildly talented team of artists* has come together to create a new large puppet lantern for the 2026 Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade! It was exciting to watch them collaboratively brainstorm and decide to make… drumroll please…. an enormous phoenix! There are many logistics to work out on such a complicated lantern, but they will begin work in earnest in January. We’ll post lots of behinds the scenes updates for those who like to know how the lantern sausage is made. In the meantime, save the date for the parade on February 21st, 2026! We have enormous gratitude for @andrewkimpuppets who flew over from England in January to teach these artists how to create Amelia and Echo, our first large lantern puppets. Thanks as well to @newageartisans who are hosting the lantern building! Participating artists are: Thomas and Clover Dunning, Matt Cameron, Steve Allison-Bunnell, Tory Moeckel, Emmi Kat Johnson, Kelsi Tjernagel, Rachel Ingle, and Jade Lowder.

One week until Giving Tuesday! Consider a donation to Random Acts of Silliness this giving season, because EVERYONE deserves access to joyful art experiences. As a small, local, non-profit organization, your donation of any size has a meaningful impact. See the DONATE link in bio to make a gift. Photo: Loneman Photography, Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Parade 2025

Still glowing from Crankie Fest! Huge thanks to: 🪑550 + audience members in Bozeman & Belgrade 🎨 Our amazing artists Kate Weiss, Angela Yonke, Eric Dymit, Cindy Owings, Marla Goodman & Kelly Hartman 🎶 Our magical music maker, composter, and foley artist Cody Henderson 🎬 Our Director and emcee Sarah Henderson (RAS Creator of Captivating Capers!) 🤝 Our wonderful partners at Bozeman Parks and Recreation and Belgrade Community Library 💸 Our sponsors at Grizzly Creek Film At Foundant Technologies 🎥: @writegoodbranding

That’s a wrap on a fantastic Crankie Fest! Our hearts are full after four nights of music, art, storytelling, and community connection. We’re already planning for next year! Huge thanks to: 🪑550 + audience members in Bozeman & Belgrade 🎨 Our amazing artists Kate Weiss, Angela Yonke, Eric Dymit, Cindy Owings, Marla Goodman & Kelly Hartman 🎶 Our magical music maker, composter, and foley artist Cody Henderson and singer Emma Rathe 🎬 Our Director and emcee Sarah Henderson (RAS Creator of Captiveting Capers!) 🤝 Our wonderful partners at Bozeman Parks and Recreation and Belgrade Community Library 💸 Our sponsors at Grizzly Creek Film At Foundant Technologies 📸: Loneman Photography

The Bozeman Crankie Fest shows kicked off with a bang last night! Congrats to our amazing artists and musician on creating such a beautiful show. We LOVE the coziness of performing at the Beall Rec Center (thank you @bozemanparksandrec ) The remaining 4 shows are at full capacity- please join the waitlist on our website to be notified if seats become available! #crankietheater #montanaartist 📸: @loneman_photography

We hear it’s #worldballetday ! Throwing it back to Enchanted Evenings in Bumblewood Thicket where Montana Ballet Company were among the many talented performers on the trails in celebration of fairies. Photos: Loneman Photography @loneman_photography of @montanaballet

Thank you to the Belgrade Community Library for hosting two fantastic crankie shows this weekend. We can’t wait to share these stories in Bozeman at Beall Rec Center this weekend! All the Bozeman shows are at full-capacity. Please join the waitlist on our website to be notified if tickets become available! (Photos: Eric Dymit operates a puppet made by artist Marla Goodman for the ‘Evening Song’ crankie, our artists take a bow, and Sarah Henderson emcees)

Crankies at Bozeman Public Library Storytime this week! 10:15 Wednesday The Sock Goblin by Kelsi and Nora Tjernagel Night Animals by Kate Weiss 10:15 Friday Dandelion Seeds by Marla Goodman The Rainbow Gnome by Kate Weiss This is a great chance for the under age 5 crew to experience crankies- hope to see you there!

Crankie Fest artist profile: meet Angela Yonke! This is Angela’s second Crankie Fest contribution. Her piece was created with pencil and guache paints on tyvek. Angela’s crankie was inspired by her love of climbing trees. Visit the link in bio to reserve your tickets for our ‘Into the Forest’ themed 2025 Crankie Fest (Belgrade Nov 8, Bozeman Nov 14,15,16). Photos: Angela performing her 2024 Crankie ‘Witch of the Enchanted Wood’ (photo Write Good Branding), photo from 2024 Crankie ‘Witch of the Enchanted Wood’ (photo Write Good Branding), sneak peek of Angela’s 2026 Crankie ‘New Sight’. #crankies #montanaartist #crankietheater

Original songs, a bunch of instruments, and live sound effects by Cody Henderson are one of the highlights of the crankie fest- here’s a tiny sample of what he’ll be up to! Visit the link in bio to reserve your (free- donate if you can) tickets for our ‘Into the Forest’ themed 2025 Crankie Fest (Belgrade Nov 8, Bozeman Nov 14,15,16).

Crankie Fest artist profile: meet Cindy Owings! This is Cindy’s second Crankie Fest contribution. Her piece was created with guache paints on tyvek. Cindy’s Crankie ‘A Mother Tree Tells Her Story’ was inspired by the work of Dr. Suzanne Simard. Visit the link in bio to reserve your tickets for our ‘Into the Forest’ themed 2025 Crankie Fest (Belgrade Nov 8, Bozeman Nov 14,15,16). Photos: Cindy with a frame from ‘A Mother Tree Tells Her Story’, an image from her 2023 crankie (photo Loneman Photography), and Cindy with her 2023 Crankie (photo Loneman Photogrqphy). #crankies #montanaartist

Crankie Fest artist profile: meet Eric Dymit! Eric is based in Helena where he is Co-Director of Adventures in Cardboard Montana. This is Eric’s 3rd year participating in the Crankie Fest. Eric is known for his boisterous performance rich storytelling and effective use of shadow puppetry. Visit the link in bio to reserve your tickets for our ‘Into the Forest’ themed 2025 Crankie Fest (Belgrade Nov 8, Bozeman Nov 14,15,16). Photos: Eric and his crankie from the 2023 festival (Loneman photography), teaser of 2025 crankie ‘The Boy Who Learned to Be Brave’, closeup of his 2024 crankie (Photo by Writegood Branding), closeup of 2023 crankie performance (Loneman Photography), his 2024 crankie (Photo by Writegood Branding). #crankies #montanaartist

Crankie Fest artist profile: meet Kate Weiss! This is Kate’s 3rd year participating in the Crankie Fest. Kate works in Batik, a process that uses wax-resist and dye on fabric. The artwork in her 2025 piece ‘Grammy’s Slippers’ is vibrant and stunning! Visit the link in bio to reserve your tickets now for our ‘Into the Forest’ themed 2025 Crankie Fest (Belgrade Nov 8, Bozeman Nov 14,15,16). Photos: Kate Weiss and her crankie from the 2023 festival (Loneman photography), closeup of her 2024 crankie (Photo by Writegood Branding), closeup of her 2023 crankie (Loneman Photography), closeup of her 2024 crankie (Photo by Writegood Branding). #bozemanartist #batik #crankietheater

Thanks to the Bozeman Public Library and artist Kelsi Tjernagel for a fantastic crankie-box making workshop last week. We can’t wait to see what these budding storytellers and artists create!

Tickets are now available for our 2025 Crankie Fest! Join us as we head ‘Into the Forest’ with adventurous and tender tales of exploration and discovery among the trees. A crankie is an illustrated-scroll (aka moving panorama) that tells a story. Our festival features original works created and performed by Southwest Montana artists: Angela Yonke, Eric Dymit, Kelly Hartman, Marla Goodman, Kate Weiss, and Cindy Owings. The performances will also feature some puppetry and live, original music and sound effects by Cody Henderson! Belgrade Shows: 5:30 & 7pm November 8 at the Belgrade Community Library (offered in partnership with the library). Bozeman Shows 5 & 7pm November 14, 15, 16 at Beall Rec Center (offered in partnership with Bozeman Parks and Recreation). Reserve tickets now at the link in bio! Shows generously sponsored by Grizzly Creek Films & Foundant Technology.

Next Friday- kids can join artist Kelsi Tjernagel for a crankie box making workshop at the Bozeman Public Library! Workshop participants (ages 8-18) will see a crankie performed, make their own crankie box to take home, and discuss a bit about how to structure a story! 💲Free (registration required via the library website) 🗓️ Friday October 17 🕰️ 12:30-3:30 📍Bozeman Public Library

Did you hear about the owl who spent the day in Bumblewood, perched on a branch just above the Highwood Home & Studio? Here’s a gorgeous photo of it by Loneman Photography! It stayed in one place for about 6 hours delighting hundreds of visitors. We didn’t see it again but heard it most nights in the forest. @loneman_photography

Some humor and sweetness for your day- a small sample of the 5,000+ letters to the fairies of Bumblewood Thicket this year. 🥰🧚

Enjoy the Enchanted Evenings in Bumblewood experience with this beautiful video! Our heartfelt gratitude to our performers: Heather Buck & Heidi Krutchkoff, Montana Ballet Company, Celtic Collective, and Megan Makeever, and our sponsors at Feed Cafe, Lehrkind Cocq Cola, and Ace Hardware. Video: @writegoodbranding

With the falling rain, the veil of enchantment falls over Bumblewood Thicket for another year. All our gratitude to the village who makes this village possible. Video: @writegoodbranding #bumblewoodthicket

This venerable Bumblewood institution houses human artifacts discovered in the thicket and surrounding environs. Here the museum anthropologists attempt to identify the collected human paraphernalia on display. By speculating about the intended purposes, they hope to understand the lives of the extremely inscrutable human species. Research is ongoing, fueled by the wealth of specimens “misplaced” by humans in Bumblewood every day. Anna lives in Sypesagovia with her wordsmith husband Ethan, two elfin children Sawyer and Rhune, a high energy Border Collie named Freya, and an orange fluffball cat named Kelpp. Anna is an architect by trade and spends a lot of her time designing custom homes for the human types. When she escapes the computer you can find her dabbling in artsy things with her creative girls, skiing, hiking, seeking out water in all forms, and reading as much as a working mother can. The whole family loves wandering in their van, getting “lost” and dirt bagging it in spectacular wild spots. Anna has a deep appreciation for the arts and the execution of good craft, and has always loved the whimsical and imaginative, but it was seeing wonder and awe in the eyes of her daughters as they walked Bumblewood Thicket inspired her to participate. Many conversations have sprung up about what the life of a fairy must be like, including what they must think of us big clumsy humans (probably why they’re so shy). #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography

Bumblewood Thicket will officially close tonight (Sunday 9/21) at 5pm to allow the fairies time to take shelter from the coming storms. Thanks for understanding!

This tranquil sanctuary is the home of Poppy Bloomstone. She adores blossoms of all sorts, collects rare plants, and savors every shade of the color green. Poppy is fond of saying that gardening is like painting with flowers and as you can see, the garden is indeed a work of art. Poppy is fond of all living creatures, even the creepy crawly ones. She spends many happy hours caring for her plants, painting petals, and communing with the creatures who visit her verdant haven. She also enjoys drinking chamomile tea with her dear friends Dahlia Drizzelle and Begonia Bottleby. Fairy Architect Kristin Kekich lives in Bozeman where the mountains meet the sky with her partner Doug, distinguished cat Sir Clarence Donovan McMurphy Kekich the first (aka Larry), crazy dog Michkov (aka Mitch), and about a million plants. Kristin created a small fairy house for a pumpkin carving contest and was overwhelmed by the number of people who asked if she had participated in Bumblewood Thicket. She decided to sign up and this is her first fairy house in the village.  #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography Photos: Loneman Photography

Bumblewood’s Post Office is the hub for all letters, postcards, and packages sent and received in the village. Have you ever wondered how your letters get to the fairies? Through a very mysterious magical shrinking process which takes place inside the mailbox at the entrance to the village, letters are made tiny enough to be delivered by a team of specially trained snails. Yes, Snail Mail is notoriously slow, but it is very reliable and extremely good value, no matter the weather. Fairies absolutely adore sending and receiving mail, which keeps the snails hopping… er… inching. Mail needing quicker delivery can be sent by Dragonfly Air, but delivery can be a bit erratic, especially on days when the mayflies hatch.  Fairy Architect Catherine Hahola lives in Bozeman with her very supportive husband Clay and their cat Nala, her studio companion and art critic. Catherine loves tinkering with different art mediums and teaching classes. She also loves to read, garden, hike and travel. When she was little, Catherine and her sisters created fairy houses in the woods surrounding their home and The Flower Fairies series by Cicely Mary Barker has provided a lot of inspiration. This is Catherine’s fifth fairy house! She loves the joy of the fairy village and is honored to be part of sparking imaginations in both children and adults. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography Snail Mail signs from @wildwood.pyrography

It’s here! The 2025 Commemorative Bumblewood Thicket book is now available only at Country Bookshelf! The book features stunning photos of each fairy structure by acclaimed Bozeman photograph Doug Loneman, stories about each structure written by Anna Visscher in collaboration with each artist, and (back by popular demand) Fae Spy pages to highlight the extra magical details. You can purchase the book in store or online at Country Bookshelf for $20, with the proceeds generously benefitting Random Acts of Silliness and next year’s fairy village.

Dahlia is an avid collector of pretty objects and–like many fairies–she can’t resist anything sparkly, colorful, or curious that crosses her path. A skilled craftsfairy, Dahlia built her curvy cottage using clay dug from nearby riverbanks and decorated it inside and out with her found treasures. She built her furniture too, and is especially proud of her river glass light fixture which glows delightfully at night, making the floor sparkle even more brightly. A painter herself, Dahlia also adores collecting art created by dear friends to decorate her pebbly palace.  Fairy Architect Emlyn Harris lives with Bumi, a boxer mix with a permanent tuxedo and very large ears. She works at the Bozeman Art Museum as the associate director. She teaches art classes at the museum and around town, and maintains her own art practice in sculpture and watercolor. Emlyn has always enjoyed sculpting and creating whimsical things. Emlyn loves the challenge and inspiration of projects that push her creativity, and she participated in the 2024 Crankiefest. Her dad is an architect so it’s also fun to peek into the world of houses on this tiny magical scale. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography

These gourdgeous structures contain the Artemisia Collective, a creative community space for fae folk to come and go, creating whatever and whenever they please. Painting, ceramics, and sculpture are housed in specialty pods, with appropriate tools and materials free for the using. Fairies are very artistic, and their homes are often very small, so the studios are used by many grateful Bumblewoodians. Classes and craft nights are very popular as well. Fairy Architect Adeline (Addie) Sydnor is from Southern Maine but lives in Bozeman during the school year. In Maine she has the the privilege of loving three cats: Tippy, Bruce, and Bowie, and two dogs: Sunday and Mabel. When not fairy-ing, most of Adeline’s time is taken up by school. She is in a dual-degree program at MSU studying Studio Art with an emphasis on ceramics and Business Management on a Pre-Law track. Outside of school she loves bird watching, yoga, and cooking. She also works as a waitress at a restaurant downtown. Adeline worked with RAS on a previous project through the art program at MSU and is making a fairy house because she loves the magic. She has always loved the magic of things we can’t see, and fairies are no exception. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography

Begonia’s Bed & Breakfast is the place for visiting fairies to rest their wings and enjoy a hot meal. Begonia Bottleby, the kind and gregarious proprietor of B’s B&B, is beloved by all. On the first floor, guests can enjoy Begonia’s famous Hyalite huckleberry pies, scones, and wild mushroom quiches washed down with a cup of Begonia’s signature bergamot tea blend. While not exploring Bumblewood Thicket, guests get comfy in the second-floor bedroom. Begonia’s private quarters are tucked in at the tippy top. The B&B has hosted many a traveling musician visiting to perform at the Timber Tunes Bandstand. Fairy Architects Casey and Lilie Dodge live with their wife/mom Megumi and their adorable but crazy little dog Momo. Lilie is a high school senior. She loves to do aerial dance and play musical instruments. Casey is an engineer. He likes to build and listen to audio equipment and build unusual machines. They have been to Bumblewood Thicket every year and thought it would be amazing to be a part of it this year #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography

Granny Liora and Grandpa Duck grew up next door to each other, fell in love, and married many, many years ago. Now in their late seven hundreds, they have five adult children and twenty-seven cherished grandchildren. With such a large family there is always someone coming and going, but the Moonflower home is always calm and filled with love. Granny enjoys knitting, sewing, drying flowers, and making delicious meals for anyone who stops by. She gives the best hugs and smells like spice and sugar. Grandpa, known to most in Bumblewood as Uncle Duck, relishes woodworking and showing young fairies how to use his tools.  Moonflower Cottage was created by Caroline Knowles and Samantha and Paul Holdorf. Samantha and Paul welcomed their first grandchild this summer and hope to honor grandparents everywhere with this love-filled fairy home. Samantha is an office manager for a local construction business and feels lucky to work with her husband Paul. Her hobbies include soaking up every moment of summer warmth by hiking, camping, traveling, and sitting in her hot tub, even when it is 90 degrees outside. She enjoys cooking, hosting family gatherings, and belly laughing while watching cat videos. By day Paul is carpenter working in construction management. After hours he might be found sauntering through a forest with his camera, searching for magic moments with wildflowers or later, the majestic night sky. Caroline can often be found with yarn in her hands and stories on her mind. By day, she weaves professional relationships and ideas together—knitting connections, threading themes, and helping others learn from one another. By night, she’s got her knitting needles going, spinning coziness and good vibes into sweaters for the people she loves most. Caroline is always on the lookout for wonder and whimsy—and her next nap. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse #cozy Photos: Loneman Photography

Timber Tunes Bandstand is a popular music venue and gathering place for the residents of Bumblewood to unwind, listen to music, and dance the night away. The house band changes names frequently but is currently called the Pixie Stixs. The Stix are an alternative funky jam band playing anything from rock to folk, the more danceable the better. Anya Edelweiss plays piccolo in the band and Prune Crane occasionally sits in on banjo. Fairy Architect Julia Funderburk Julia grew up in Bozeman and lives on the MSU campus. She enjoys visiting her parents’ house to catch up with dog Otis and cat Molly (and parents and two siblings). She is a freshman at MSU studying Pre-Medicine and Studio Arts. She enjoys creating whimsical things with fabric, paint, wood, and ceramics. Her hobbies include skiing, biking, hiking, rafting, attending music festivals and concerts, and envisioning fairies rocking out on a stage. Julia has been making fairy houses for fun since she was four years old. Seeing Random Acts of Silliness’ installations around Bozeman inspired her get involved. #fairymusic #fairyvillage #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Photography

This comfy chalet is the home of sisters Freya and Anya Edelweiss. The Edelweiss family is responsible for spreading the first frost of winter each year, an ancient duty recently entrusted to young Freya and Anya. The winter-loving sisters adore their job and anything frosty or frozen. They revel in being outdoors, especially when it’s snowy, but they also stay cozy on winter nights knitting and reading by the fire. Anya plays piccolo in a local band and Freya teaches snow yoga at Breathe & Bloom Studio. Fairy Architects Leah and Lauren Watling live in Bozeman with husband/dad, Troy, Lauren’s little sister Sara, and their beloved malshipoos Pippa and Dash. Lauren is in high school, and Leah works as an accountant. They both love biking, floating, skiing, and spending time outside. They were inspired to build a house for Bumblewood Thicket because they love the magic and sense of wonder that Bumblewood brings to our community. If Leah had a fairy name it would be Marigold Starburst and Lauren’s would be Maya Papaya. Their dream fairy house would be a cozy cottage surrounded by flower fields with lots of nooks for reading and a lazy river for floating.  #fairyhouse #bumblewoodthicket #fairyvillage 📸: Loneman Photography

This tranquil bohemian oasis hosts an open-air studio for breathwork and yoga. It is also the home of Bluebell Dewdrop, who teaches a variety of private sessions and classes. A lifelong learner, Bluebell travels regularly to learn more about ancient fae movement and spiritual traditions. She shares this knowledge with her community through regularly scheduled free events. She is a gentle guide whose presence turns every moment into a quiet celebration of breath and mindfulness.  Artist Kelly Kohlberg lives in Bozeman with her muse, her four-year-old daughter. Kelly is an artist and art teacher. She also loves to hike, garden, and connect with her community. Kelly created a fairy home two years ago. She was inspired to participate again in Bumblewood by past fairy villages and seeing how much her daughter loved them #yogastudio #bumblewoodthicket #fairyvillage 📸: Loneman Photography

Known for its cutting-edge modern art shows and sculpture garden, the O’Leaffe Gallery has represented some of the finest fairy artists of our time. Vincent Van Grove, Fleada Kahlo, and River Banksy have all shown their work in the gallery alongside local artists such as Dahlia Drizzelle, Maia Marigold, and Millie Highwood. Despite its grand reputation, the gallery is anything but snooty. Gallery director Georgia O’Leaffe welcomes visitors to stroll and flit through the sculpture garden and gallery whenever they need to be inspired and immersed in art, something all of us could use from time to time. Artist Lauren Mitro lives in Bozeman and loves making all kinds of art. She also enjoys making her own clothes, shooting photography, and going to see live music. She practices architecture and spends any remaining free time outside. #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Photography

This ramshackle mobile home belongs to Prune Crane. Prune spends most of her time out on the water with Fang, her beloved Caterpillar Hunting Beetle, while her trusty house roosts nearby. In the evenings she uses the day’s catch to cook up a pot of spicy mosquito gumbo, pan seared minnows, or a good old-fashioned stonefly nymph boil. Although sometimes given a wide berth due to her rough manners and solitary ways, she’s not unfriendly. She just prefers her own company. Prune distills her own moonshine and if you catch her in the right mood, she might be persuaded to share some. She has even been known to supply parties if she likes the music. Flitty Witty Dirt Band and Stevie Nymphs are some of her favorites, and recently her girlfriend Midge introduced her to the music of Chanterelle Roan. Fairy Architect Emmi Kat Johnson lives in a cozy burrow with her dogs Koda and Riley and cats Pigeon, Hotdog, and Ghouligan. She spends most of her time making whimsical things with her sister for their art business, Star Berry Hollow. They can be found at fantasy and pop culture conventions, renaissance faires, and art markets not too far from Bumblewood Thicket. When she’s not making art, Emmi is probably hunting for bugs and bones for art. She does a lot of art. She first saw Bumblewood Thicket two years ago and immediately fell in love with the community, the art, and all the possibilities in this tiny village! Last year she created The Sugar Pine Bakery and has amassed fairy house ideas that should hold her over for the next lifetime #fairyhouse #bumblewoodthicket 📷: Loneman Photography

Support Local Artists & Take Home a Piece of the Magic! Fifteen of our Bumblewood Artists are selling their pieces to a new home after the Bumblewood Installation is complete.  Purchases are made directly with the artist and all proceeds benefit the artist, not Random Acts of Silliness. If you’d like to take home a piece of the magic, you can view the list of pieces for sale and prices at the link in our bio!

Have you noticed the abundance of crystals in Bumblewood Thicket? Only the Pippels know the concealed location of the Crystal Cave, discovered by Piper Pippel many hundreds of years ago. Passed down through generations of Pippels, this snug cottage is now the home of Talus and Opal Pippel and their children Flicker, Finn, and baby Jasper. Talus, Flicker, and Finn collect the crystals, never more than they need, from the cave walls. They are cleaned, sorted, and sometimes ground into a fine glittery dust. The crystals are shared with villagers and used to trade with neighboring communities. While baby Jasper observes intently, Opal tends the front and helps fairies pick out just the right gem or sparkle dust for the task or occasion.  Meet Fairy Architect Jennifer Christy! Jennifer lives in Gallatin Gateway with her husband and biggest supporter John, an amazing Australian Shepherd named Lola, and a black cat named Derp. Lola loves to forage for fairy materials and is Jennifer’s very best friend. Jennifer loves to hike and play down by the river and is always gathering materials and rocks. She has a sapphire claim and enjoys digging in the dirt looking for Yogo sapphires. Her other hobbies include leather work, beading, lapidary, painting barn quilts, beekeeping, and photography. She also drives full-time for Uber. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyhouse Photos: Loneman Photography

Most days Twinkletoes Dance Hall is merely the home of Agripina Calagui and her daughter Evelina. Agripina is a gifted dancer and teacher, and Evelina loves to create lavish party decorations. Agripina delights in teaching aspiring dancers to waltz, mouse trot, quick step, and more. Every Saturday night the Calaguis transform their home into a glowing ballroom and host dances for the community. Once in a blue moon they invite fairies from across the region to participate in the Twinkletoes Dance Competition, with a grand prize of a coveted pair of glittery golden slippers! Fairy Architect Pinky Labog Keightley was born and raised in the Philippines and now lives with her husband near downtown Bozeman. They have three cats name Wesley, Jonathan, and Elsa. Jonathan and Elsa are her quality control assistants. Elsa loves to sleep inside the fairy houses when Pinky isn’t working on them, so she ended up making another one just for Elsa. Pinky loves painting, photography, mixed media, and art journaling. Last year she created the Urukay Summer Home in Bumblewood Thicket. She loves the way the fairy village makes people happy and is delighted to be participating again this year. #fairyvillage #fairyhouse #bumblewoodthicket

This beautiful boutique and atelier are run by the lovely Lacey Silkwillow. Lacey is a terrifically talented designer and dressmaker. She was raised by her fairy mother and Borrower father in the walls of a human home inhabited by a seamstress. From the shadowed corners, she learned to sew and design by secretly watching the seamstress. When the urge to alter the seamstress’ rather clunky designs became too much for her and she longed to share her own designs with others, Lacey left home and set up shop in Bumblewood Thicket. She quickly became the go-to gal for bespoke bridal wear in the village and beyond and has a millipede-long waiting list. Artist Jasmine Lilly lives in Bozeman with her partner Patrick and rescue pups Pip and Penny. Jasmine is a creative hummingbird. She owns Jasmine Lilly Creative and works predominantly in the wedding industry as a florist, designer, and bridal boutique owner. She is also a freelance graphic designer, and illustrator. Her hobbies include reading romance novels, foraging, watercolor painting, pressing flowers, and rock hunting. Jasmine has surrounded herself with magic and whimsy that calls to the world of the fae for as long as she can remember. As a little girl she spent hours in the garden creating fairy worlds filled with wild stories and foraged objects. As an adult she continues to revel in the magical minutia of nature and has been known to spend hours on a riverbank collecting rocks or in a wildflower field cataloguing and pressing flowers #fairyvillage #fairyhouse #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Photography

Many have asked how the village of Bumblewood twinkles so brightly at night. At last, we have the answer! Glow Worm Gardens is a nursery for the village’s hardest-working light sources: glow worms. Glow worm husbandry is a delicate and energy intensive art, and the little wigglers must be carefully tended by members of the Glow Worm Keepers Guild (GWKG). Here at the nursery, eggs are incubated and hatched, then the tiny grubs are transferred to clematis blossoms where they mature to maximum wattage before being placed around the village.  Artists Steve and Wren Allison- Bunnell live in an intentional community in Bozeman with their spouse/mom and three cats with no bad habits. They love using digital tools to make fairy houses that straddle the line between looking completely natural and seeming vaguely otherworldly. Miniatures have been one of Steve’s special obsessions for as long as he can remember. Wren works at the American Computer & Robotics Museum and likes to spend their free time giving obsolete computers a new lease on life. This is Steve and Wren’s fourth year creating a fairy structure. #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Phtograpjy day photos/ night photos Steve Allison Bunnell

Welcome to the Twirlybird Carousel, owned and operated by Lamella Olyphant. You might think that a carousel powered by snails would be painfully slow, but not so at the Twirlybird! Hop in the saddle and hold on, as it can really get a-twirling! If you haven’t lost your lunch, be sure to enjoy a sweet treat provided by Flossie’s Candy Emporium and take a moment to explore the menagerie playground. Nobody knows where the animals in the menagerie came from, and Lamella won’t tell. Rumor has it that if you turn your back, they might wake up and move around. If you look out of the corner of your eye, you might just see a wing flap or a tail wiggle! Twirlybird was brought to life by fairy architect Mary Demro. Mary lives in Bozeman with her husband Aaron, young sons Gordon and Wally, and their Samoyed dog Moby. Mary is an architect at A&E Design, so this is an extension of what she already does, although at a much smaller scale than usual! When not working on houses both large and small, she and her family love being outside, exploring Montana, and chasing the kids around. They have been going to Bumblewood Thicket for several years and have greatly enjoyed it. Mary created Flossie’s Candy Emporium last year. Photos: Loneman Photography #fairyvillage #bumblewoodthicket

Dallas and Mya live in Belgrade with their three children Isla, Landon, and Sawyer, an Aussie-Doodle named Sadie, and a black cat named Lucky. Dallas is a woodworker and Mya is a ceramic sculptor. Dallas builds furniture and Mya’s sculpture often focuses on the maternal figure and the joys and sorrows of motherhood. They love camping and finding new ways to inspire their kids to be more creative. Bumblewood has long been one of their favorite events of the year. They were in awe of the level of craftsmanship and creativity that the fairy architects always seemed to deliver and the kids talked about the houses for months. They are delighted to participate this year and hopefully bring others the same joy that it has brought them. #fairyhoise #bumblewoodthicket photos: Loneman Photography

If you happen to hear a faint but captivating tinkle whispering in the wind, you may be very near a wind chime created by Sylph Carillon. Sylph spends her days weaving magic into her enchanting chimes. Each contains a melody of the natural world: the soft rustling of leaves, the gentle hush of a summer breeze, and the distant laughter of a babbling brook are just a few of the tunes contained in her wind catchers. Sylph’s home was created by artist Amber Wilson. Amber is a Bozeman native and MSU Bobcat who lives with her chocolate lab Wilbur. In her free time, she enjoys crafting and enjoying the Montana outdoors, doing everything from paddle boarding to skiing. Amber has always enjoyed making miniatures and Fern Gully was a favorite childhood movie. This is the fifth structure she has created for Bumblewood Thicket! #windchimes #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Phtograpjy

Welcome to the Bellflower Community Center! Founded by old friends Violet Hornswoggle and Edna Eggletine, the Bellflower is a non-profit community center for older fairies but is open and welcoming to all. Elders often gather with their families and friends in the cozy common room to share stories, read, and play games. Marathon sessions of pea knuckle and crabbage have been known to go into the wee hours of the night, fueled by bottomless cups of chicory coffee and herbal teas from the cafe. The thrift store takes donations from the community to fund operations and special events.  Created by the Moeckel family–Tory Elena, Tessa, Juliet, and Bill. They have spent a lot of time outside hiking, camping, canoeing, and building fairy houses in nature. Tory made Augustus P. Bumble’s home last year and is excited to have the whole family participate in creating the one this year. They have all been long time believers in fairies and magic, so it’s wonderful to tap back into that whimsical joy as adults. #fairyhouse #fairyvillage #bumblewoodthicket Photos: Loneman Photography

Do you love the Bumblewood Thicket tradition? Please show your support with a donation to the Pixie Dust Fund. Your dollars help cover artist stipends, installation upkeep, signage and more. We’re just a small way on our goal to raise $12,000 to support next year’s village. Donate via our website (link in bio) or find us on Venmo!

Joy around every corner! Visit Bumblewood Thicket before it dissapears into the mists on September 22. The Fairy Village is located at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all. Visit the Random Acts of Silliness website for all the details to plan your magical visit. Photos: Loneman Photography #publicart #bumblewoodthicket

Such a joy to have middle school students doing some fairy- inspired creative writing in the Thicket today!

Enchanted Evenings begins tonight! Join us on the trail from the Bozeman Beach parking lot into Bumblewood Thicket for free performances of storytelling, dance, and music. Saturday September 6,13,20 from 5:30-7:30pm. Photo: Story Teller Heidi Krutchkoff in a ‘Story Apron’ created by @norascoutstudio

Bumblewood Thicket is open! Visit the Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all. Visit our website for all the details to plan your magical visit (and remember weekends are extremely busy so come on a weekday if you can!). Photo: Loneman Photography (second photo is the Twirlybird Carousel by Mary Demro) #publicart #bumblewoodthicket

Bumblewood Thicket opens Friday! Here are a few tips to help you plan your visit…..

“To Bumblewood!” The veil of enchantment lifts Friday! Visit Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all during the park’s hours of 5am-11pm. Music and Lyrics: Cody Henderson, Vocals: Cody, Alice and Evelyn Henderson Irish Whistle and Flute: Amanda Andrews Fiddle: Casey McGowan Guitar, Synthesizer: Cody Henderson #bumblewoodthicket #fairyvillage #artontrails #publicart

Thanks to our volunteers from @osmconstruction (Bumblewood Thicket Sponsors!) and other wonderful volunteers for their work to get the trails ready to welcome the fairies! 8 sleeps to go!

On Saturday nights - the trail into Bumblewood will be filled with fanciful music, dance and stories! Featuring performances from Montana Ballet Company, Megan Makeever, Heather Buck and Heidi Krutchkoff, and the Celtic Collective... don’t miss this magical addition to a visit to the fairy village. This is a free (no tickets), trail based performance made possible by our amazing sponsors Feed Cafe, Owenhouse Ace Hardware, and Lehrkinds!

Thomas (@meristem_services ) and Danielle completed 20 fairy architect check-ins over the last few weeks.… and wow was that fun. Prepare to be blown away and delighted Gallatin Valley! Visit Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all during the park’s hours of 5am-11pm. #bumblewoodthicket #publicart #communityart

Volunteers needed to get Bumblewood looking sparkly! ⏰ 9-12 on Thursday August 28th 🪏 Storm Debris, Weed, Trash Cleanup 🧚 For Fairy and Trail Lovers Age 12+ Signup and get more info at the link in the Random Acts of Silliness bio.

Scenes from a day with Fairy Architects… here’s Fae, the scale doll all our architects use. (Pictured from Anna Stewart, Julia Funderburk, and Leah and Lauren Watling) The 2025 Bumblewood Architects are working away in a whimsical whirlwind to make magic for you- Gallatin Valley! Visit Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all during the park’s hours of 5am-11pm. #bumblewoodthicket #artontrails

We’re Hiring a new Executive Enchantment Director! AND, our intrepid founder, Danielle Thomsen, is moving to a new role as Creative Director!! Because RAS has grown beyond anything we could have imagined when we started creating little joyful moments in our community 5+ years ago, we are excited to bring more magic to the Gallatin Valley with this more strategic team of organizational leadership team. If you’d like to learn more about the position, you can do so at the link in bio.

A new song for Bumblewood: “Come Away” Music and Lyrics: Cody Henderson Vocals: Emma Rathe Irish Whistle and Flute: Amanda Andrews Guitar and Synthesizer: Cody Henderson Visit Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all during the park’s hours of 5am-11pm. This video features footage of just a few of the amazing fairy structures in Bumblewood over the years, created by a wide variety of local artists. Please DM for details on any particular structure. #bumblewoodthicket #fairyvillage #artontrails #publicart

Happy 1 year being Random and Silly to our Wizard Jessica! She makes everything work like magic and we treasure her 🧙✨💖

Can you guess what type of fairy structure artist Catherine Hahola is making for Bumblewood this year? Enjoy Catherine’s work along side 19 other amazing pieces created by Gallatin Valley artists and makers in Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village: September 5-21 at Glen Lake Rotary Park. Bumblewood is free and open to all during the park’s hours of 5am-11pm. We highly recommend visiting on a weekday to avoid the crowds! Visit the link in bio for more details to plan your visit! #bumblewoodthicket

It’s that time again. Bumblewood is just around the corner! With over 140 volunteer shifts to fill and opening day creeping closer, we’re sending up a (sparkly) SOS. 🆘✨ Link in Random Acts of Silliness bio! We need help with: 🪏 Cleanup Day Pre-Village - Removing brush and trash to prepare the trail! 🌼 Weekday Friend of the Fairies - Greeting visitors and fairy path tending... these days tend to be quieter. 🍄 Weekend Friends of the Fairies - Support and welcome the crowds... these shifts tend to be very busy! 🎭 Enchanted Evening Volunteer - Welcome and support the audience and performers in magical trail song, story, and dance. If you’ve ever visited the village and felt the magic, this is your chance to keep it alive. When you volunteer as a Friend of the Fairies with us, you get to step into the forest not just as a visitor, but as a maker of the magic!

Artist Jennifer Christy’s studio is the stuff fairy dreams are made of. Thanks for the visit @jc.art_and_soul #bumblewoodthicket #fairyvillage

The third annual crankie fest isn’t until November, but our artists are already working away on their pieces. This weekend they completed their 3rd and final story workshop with the wonderful Janet Fox. We can’t wait to share their original works with you this fall!

✨ Joyful Update Alert ✨ The Random Acts of Silliness team is overjoyed to share that Anna Visscher is in remission after almost a year battling Leukemia. Those of you who know Anna won’t be surprised to know that she spread silliness and beauty throughout her cancer journey- see pics of the goggly eye pop ups around the hospital and the paper flower bouquets that Anna made to decorate her hospital room and then gifted to her team of caregivers. Anna helped found RAS and is a true creative visionary. We are so grateful to welcome her extraordinary talents back to our little world of magic and silliness.

Mark your calendars for MAGIC! #bumblewoodthicket

The Story Stand and artist Sharon Glick will be outside the Belgrade library tomorrow (Friday the 13th) 2-4pm to celebrate summer-reading kickoff. Hope to see you there with your wackiest story ideas! Photo: @towsendcollective

Help us give a sparkle-infused welcome to Cassandra Maffey! As our Chief Pixie Dust Sprinkler for the 6th annual Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village, Cassandra is going to help the village run like magic! We asked Cassandra about her new role and personal fairy tendencies: ‘As a mom, I have rediscovered how seeing the world through the eyes of children invites everyone to be our best selves. The world of Bumblewood Thicket is a place for us all to remember the part of ourselves where magic is possible, smallness is powerful, and the definition of beauty is authenticity. I am excited to help steward this experience for our many visitors and volunteers, in hopes that everyone can carry the light of joy and hope that comes from having visited a magical place. If I had a fairy house, it would be nestled high in a sunny tree, overlooking the forest and mountains. It would be woven of soft moss and decorated with sparkly things that cast rainbows everywhere. And there would be slides. So many slides. I’m actually kinda bummed that my real house doesn’t have a slide.’ Welcome Cassandra! Be sure to give her a wave of your wing when you see her on the trail in September.