BOZEMAN — A group of gnomes is living at Story Mill Park spending their time trapping trolls, watching for incoming weather, and mining for magical gems.
Two sisters, Blayne and Jules Martin, got to go on an adventure this morning as they strolled through the Gnome Roam. A magical art installment created by Random Acts of Silliness.
“I forgot this one’s name,” said Blayne.
“It’s Gilbert,” said Jules. Gilby, to be exact.
“You get to meet Gilby and he is the guide gnome,” said Danielle Thomson, the executive enchantment director for Random Acts of Silliness. “There are these little sound boxes where you can hear Gilby talking about the important work they do.”
Thomson said this is their first-time using sound boxes to enhance the experience for their visitors.
“It allows everyone to listen together,” said Thomson. “A shared listening experience.”
And so far, it’s been a hit. In the first two days of the Gnome Roam, they had around 1,900 visitors.
“And this morning we’re at almost 200 visitors,” said Thomson.
Visitors flocked to the park this morning to learn all about the gnomes, who Thomson says have a big job on their hands.
“They help take care of injured animals, help store food, and they’re always on the lookout for trolls,” said Thomson. “They have a parameter of traps around the park.”
Thomson and her coworkers have been working on bringing this gnome world to life for about eight months.
Thomas Dunning, a designer and fabricator, owns the business, Meristem Services LLC which supports museums, galleries, and artists in the area. Thomson says they couldn’t have created their Gnome world without his tremendous amount of help.
With 3D printing, paper mache, and a tremendous amount of volunteers painting props, painting gnomes, and sewing gnome hats,” said Thomson.
The Gnome Roam is free and open to the public from 7 AM to 10 PM until January 29, 2023.
