Charlotte’s newest celebrity resident is a bit hard to find. He secretly moved into the city in early November, but has quickly become one of the most sought-after and talked-about folks in town.
Big Pete is a 90-foot-long troll nestled in the new River District development by Crescent Communities. He's the latest art installation from Thomas Dambo, a renowned Danish artist known for creating giant trolls from recycled wood and other materials.
TROLL MANIA
“Troll Mania has ensued here in Charlotte,” says Andrew Baysden, director of marketing for the River District, adding that Pete attracted thousands of visitors the first two weeks after he was formally announced.
There are currently 171 of these giant trolls around the world, drawing an estimated 4.5 million visitors each year. Now, Charlotteans are lucky enough to call one their own.
TROLL FAMILY
Big Pete is one of seven new trolls in North Carolina, Dambo’s largest permanent installation in the United States. The seven are all part of a troll family.
Five are scattered around Dix Park in Raleigh. Daddy Bird Eye sits beneath a large tree, holding a giant staff and keeping watch over the park. Elsewhere, Mother Strong Tail takes a nap with one eye open, presumably tired from watching over her three youngest children. The baby, a little girl troll named Dix, stands at the edge of the woods holding her mother’s impressively long 645-foot tail, while her brothers Dax and Dux play a game of hide and seek across the way.
Little Sally, a teenage girl, has taken up residence in High Point, somewhat near the train station. And Big Pete is a teenage boy who’s landed in Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE LOCATION
The River District is Crescent Communities’ newest development. It’s a 1,200-acre master-planned community adjacent to the airport and Catawba River. It’s the largest remaining land assemblage in Charlotte.
“You can work in Uptown in a corporate environment, but in 15 minutes get home and feel like you are way out of an urban area and in a very serene place,” Baysden says. “You have access to the river, a heavy emphasis on trails and biking with a lot of sustainability and environmental stewardship initiatives.”
He says public art has always been a big part of the company’s communities, and that the team had been brainstorming for four years about what the River District’s signature art piece might be.
BUILDING PROCESS
An art consultant suggested reaching out to Dambo about building a troll for the community. Dambo won’t work with a group until he sees where the troll might be installed and feels like the organization’s ethos aligns with his.
Baysden says Dambo was excited about the River District, but that one of the key selling points was that, unbeknownst to the Crescent Communities team, Dambo already had Raleigh’s build on his calendar. The process moved quickly from there, with construction starting just about eight months later.
Since all of Dambo’s trolls are built from recycled materials, Baysden and his team had to find several tons of reclaimed wood to build their troll. He says roughly 60% of the material came from construction scraps and leftovers at the River District. They got additional material from a local demolition company that was tearing down a barn shed.
"Big Pete is one of seven new trolls in North Carolina, Dambo’s largest permanent installation in the United States. The seven are all part of a troll family."
"Thomas Dambo believes his trolls should be discovered"
WANT TO VISIT BIG PETE?
Thomas Dambo believes his trolls should be discovered, not directed. While his troll map offers approximate locations, it never provides exact directions. “Thomas has always stressed the adventure and the secrecy [of the troll’s location],” says Baysden, who has kept a tight lid on Big Pete’s exact location. “But basically, if you look in the right place, you will see his 10-foot-tall foot.” Once found, continue the hunt for Little Sally in High Point and the rest of the family in Raleigh. Find all seven to unlock the secret of the Grandmother Tree. Big Pete is open to the public and free to visit. If you find him, keep the magic alive and don’t spoil the surprise for others.