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