It takes a village to make a village! You can help the magic happen by donating to this year's Pixie Dust Fund! Contributions support fairy architect stipends, village maintenance, outreach, and much much more. Thank you in advance from the fairies of Bumblewood Thicket and their human collaborators. Link to donate it bio✨

Happy happy birthday to Tracy! Tracy, pictured here in the green hat, is one of our brilliant super staffers. You’ve probably seen her shining smile in the fairy village and at the lantern parade. We are so happy to have Tracy in our silly family, she brings a little bit of sunshine to all she does! Hip hip hooray 🎉

Time to add some whimsy to your calendars ✨ Bumblewood Thicket is quickly approaching and we are beyond delighted to share this years village with everyone! #fairyvillage #bumblewoodthicket #whimsy

Are you ready? On September 10th the fairies will reveal this year’s Bumblewood Thicket! The fairy architects have been hard at work getting ready. Featured in this video are peeks into homes and businesses created by: Jasmine Lilly @jasminelillycreative Rebekah VanWieren Laurie and Adelaide Rugemer and Owen Powell
Adrienne Zimny and Ellie Newell @littlebuttonfarm 
Mary Demro
Jill Logan @jill_logan_art

We are looking for just a few more volunteers to fill out the final weekend of the fairy village. As if access to pixie dust and whimsy weren’t enough, we are offering free fairy village swag to anyone who signs up for a shift on September 25th, 26th, or 27th! You can find the link to sign up in our bio. Thank you in advance! Offer applies to folks new to volunteering with us and anyone already signed up who’d like to add a shift during those dates. Bumblewood Thicket fairy village will be open September 10th through 27th. Fabulous swag made just for us by Intrigue Ink!

The fairy village stories are coming to life! This year you will be able to listen to the Bumblewood Thicket stories on your phone or computer! You can hear about all the magical mysteries of the village as you explore Bumblewood, or listen at home later if you need a little pixie pick me up! Huge thanks to Sally Shannon for voicing the stories so beautifully, to Cody Henderson for recording them, and @kiln.co for hosting us in their beautiful space.

Let’s face it, everything we do at Random Acts of Silliness is kinda chic.

✨Help make magic in the fairy village! ✨ We are seeking volunteers (we call them Friends of the Fairies) to serve as ambassadors in Bumblewood Thicket from September 10th - 27th. Friends of the Fairies greet visitors, offer guidance, and - best of all - offer sprinkles of pixie dust! To learn more about this joyful, heartwarming, community-building, and downright magical volunteer opportunity, follow the Volunteer Opportunities link in our bio. We hope to see you soon in the village! 🎥 Photo by @fischergenau 🎶Original Bumblewood music by Cody Henderson

Cirquepalooza will be the final summer appearance for Roxy and her Story Stand friends! Find us at the Bozeman Public Library this Friday, August 14th, from 10:00AM-12:00PM. Roxy will be telling fortunes and circus stories, @406cirque will be performing 🤹🏽and making balloon animals, you’ll have a chance to eat a 🐜, experiment with 🐘 toothpaste, and paint a mask with @tinworksart . There will be prizes, cotton candy, free lunch, and much, much more!

We found Winky reading fairy mail and they so kindly reminded us that Bumblewood will appear in just one month! It’s going to be fairy hard to wait until September 10th!

It's been a couple of weeks since SUNRISE went up On the Fence and we are still starry eyed 🤩 This project would not be the same without the brilliant @brunamassadas. We've learned this summer just how steadfast, radiant, and conscientious Bruna is a both an artist and a community member. Take a walk along the Gallagator to take in SUNRISE and visit Bruna's page to see more of her vibrant work! Photo Credit: @kyler.ernst

Anna and Jae have been scuttling across the valley on very important fairy business: visiting all twenty fairy architects! At these visits, there are a lot of ooohs, aaahs, eeeps, and omigoshes. This is just a tiny sneak peek into this year's village. We can't wait to share the rest 🍄 Magical structures created by: Durrae and John Johanek Casey and Lilie Dodge Jennifer Christy and Amy Albert Alyssa Cudworth Susan Freund Emlyn Harris The Fairy Collective Cassandra Maffey Laura and Pat Eaton Megan Feeman

Heidi’s birthday - and her one year Random Acts of Silliness anniversary were this weekend. Happy birthaversary @krutchheidi ! You may have spotted Heidi telling silly stories with Roxy at a Story Stand this summer, or spinning yarns at the fairy village, or maybe directing traffic at the lantern parade. Wherever she goes, Heidi beams out positivity, infectious laughter, and delight. We’re very lucky to have her in the Random Silly family!

This morning, we left our hearts On the Fence 💕 The deep love and appreciation for art and community were contagious along the Gallagator this morning. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to weave a heart, a sunburst, and even a smiley face. Our yarn hearts are bursting!! P.S. We left some wooly wonder behind in case you want to add a little bit of your own heart ❤️

Ice Cream Social: Fairy Architect Style 🍦 ✨️ Our fairy scale dolls brought along their human companions to chat all things Bumblewood, share materials, and enjoy a sweet treat donated by @genuineicecream ! Thank you friends! The village appears to our eyes in 41 days, not that anyone's counting, and we can't wait to share with you what our architects have been crafting! Stay tuned for sneak peeks 👀

COME CELEBRATE (AND PLAY) WITH US! Join us on the fence! Saturday, August 1st from 8:00-10:00am to celebrate the unveiling of SUNRISE. If you wish, you can participate in the next phase of installation by weaving yarn designs just like Zoe and Emily are doing 🧶 We’ll bring more yarn than you could imagine, weaving supplies, and a sweet treat! You bring sun protection, plenty of water, and your brilliant self! Meet us on the fence! The easiest, most direct route is to park at College and Black, and follow the trail to the clearing 🌅

Our new Wiz Zoe has issued a communique 🪄 "Hello hello! Zoe here! I’m the Wizard Behind the Curtain at RAS, where I get to organize the gears and logistics behind all the magic. I have a background in teaching and outdoor education, love to play with clay or dirt, and hold a deep love for all things creative. I’m excited to be contributing to the joy and play that RAS brings to our community. When I’m not wrangling fairies, you can find me trail running, picking up a new craft, or at the library." Lightning Facts⚡ Favorite Color- Turquoise! Most Used Emoji-🤸🏻‍♀️ Fairy Name- Sprout If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be?- A teapot

SUNRISE by Bruna Massadas! This ginormous hand-painted swath of canvas is the first piece in an ongoing installation called ON THE FENCE. ON THE FENCE is a series of temporary art installations on a stretch of chain link fence along the Gallagator Trail on Bozeman's south side. The installations will change and evolve over time, incorporating creations by local artists and community-driven elements. To learn more and get directions head to our website or visit the link in our bio ☀️

It’s Emily’s birthday week 🥳 Did you know Emily is a genius at asking unique check-in questions at meetings? In honor of that, we decided to ask her some fun and silly questions of our own. Swipe through to see her answers! P.S. Emily is an expert on ice cream and her thoughts are not to be missed!

That's right! We're at the Big Sky Country Fair 🎡 Catch us dishing up delicious and delightful stories in the Haynes Pavillion from 1:00-2:00PM & 5:00-6:00PM Wednesday-Saturday. On Sunday we'll be at the North Entrance from 10:00-11:00AM for Sensory Friendly Hour. We can't wait to see you there! #randomactsofsilliness #bigskycountry #bozeman

Bumblewood Thicket appears on September 10th, do you have your wings ready? #fairyvillage #fairyhouse #bumblewoodthicket

String and Shadow are back in Bozeman July 17-18! We’re delighted to be partnering with Tinworks in presenting A Night at the Grand Opera: a frenzied romp through one wild night in an old European opera house with giant puppets and zany costumes galore. These family friendly performances are free and open to the public. Bring blankets and low-clearance chairs to get your spot up close to the magic. Head to @tinworksart for more information and check out the magic @stringandshadow :) Photos by Jo Arlow

A postcard from our new Assistant Shenaniganator, Jaelyn 💃 Oh, hi! It's me, a professionally silly gal and shenanigan wrangler. I've been a long time admirer of Random Acts and finally the stars have aligned for me to be among the magic makers. My name is Jaelyn, though my friends call me Jae and I think we're all friends here so either name is welcome ;) I come to Random Acts with a long theatrical history that I'm excited to share with everyone. I'll be working closely with all the delightful members of the team on bringing joy and whimsy to the world. Lightning Facts ⚡️ Favorite Color- Sky Blue Fairy Name- Ze Evergreen Most Used Emoji- ✨️ If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be? - A whisk...specifically a rainbow colored one!

Say hello to Winky, our fairy countdown ambassador! They popped in to let us know that the fairies reveal their magic in 77 days ✨️ September 10th can't come fast enough! Aaand if you're looking to work with the fairies, we are looking for volunteers! Job duties include welcoming visitors, answering fairy lore questions, and most importantly sprinkling pixie dust. More info in our bio!

Happy birthday to our one and only Queen of the Fairies, Emma Rathe! 👑 As one might expect, the Queen of the Fairies is multi-talented. An actor, singer, musician, film maker, writer, marketer, and teacher, Emma can and does do it all. We’re not quite sure where she finds the time, but that’s probably another secret of the fae folk. She is also creative, funny, kind, thoughtful, and just the right kind of sassy, so she fits right in with this crew. You may have met Emma performing in the fairy village, offering sprinkles of pixie dust to visitors, or around town in a wide variety of performances. Next time you see her, be sure to pay your respects! 🧚‍♀️👑

Work with us in the fairy village! We are seeking sparkly humans to work in the Fairy Village in September! Roles are part-time, seasonal, and SUUUPER fun. Pixie dust and training provided. Benefits include: being part of a magical community tradition, the happy feeling that comes from knowing you made people smile, and a little extra sparkle in your life. To enquire, follow the We’re Hiring link in our bio. PS Cute photo used for attention getting purposes, this is a position for adult humans only. PPS BYOFW (Bring Your Own Fairy Wings)

Let’s get goofy!🤪 The Silly Monster Story Stand will be part of Montana PBS’ Neighbor Day at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds this Saturday, 6/13, from 9-12! Look for us outdoors between Exhibit Buildings 1 and 2. This event is free and open to all, although probably most fun for kids and families. 9-10am Crafts 10-11am Roxy and her friends will make up stories on the spot, using suggestions from the audience! 11am-12pm Crafts You can see more Silly Monster Story Stand dates and locations on our website. Roxy and her buddies can’t wait to see you!

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time to get wacky! All week long we save up the things that made us giggle, or smile, or go awwwwww or wow! Then we share them with you in one big wacky sandwich. No bologna, just a pile of dopamine to get you through the week. The best and silliest we can find, all shared in our stories. If you miss out, or have a particularly bad day and need a silly sandwich, they’re all saved in a highlight for you to binge giggle. 🤪

✨101 days until Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village reappears! Not that anyone’s counting… 😉 This weekend the fairy architects braved the rain to choose their spots in the village, then gathered to meet each other, swap materials, and learn more about the delicate art of fairy construction. We have a really wonderful group of people… ahem… fairies building a pixie dust mill, a mycelial switchboard, an arcana shop, and much, much more this year! We will be sharing more behind the scenes glimpses over the summer. It is truly magical to watch it come together every year and we can’t wait to share it with you! The fairy village will be visible to human eyes on September 10th through the 27th, so mark your calendars! Big thanks to the wonderful folks at @studio.wheelhouse for the perfect gathering space just a hop, skip, and a jump from Bumblewood Thicket. Sketches by Rebekah VanWieren, Casey & Lilie Dodge, and Cassandra Maffey.

✨Move over elf on the shelf, it’s fairy on your shoulder season! The fairy architects are beginning the months long process of building their tiny workshops, businesses, and public facilities for Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village. When we meet with each fairy architect we give them a little doll to help them size their constructions accordingly. Many of the dolls receive names and develop personalities. This one is Woody. Woody will be helping Durrae and John as they create a mini village park, making sure the swings, slide, and seesaw are appropriately proportional. Stay tuned for more BTS fairy lore and construction!

Happy Birthday Lily!!! Today is Super Silly Staffer @lilymacfadyen ‘s birthday! 🎂 🌷🎉 Lily started with us as an intern in 2024, and has been sharing her infectious smile, kindness, curiosity, and care for others ever since. You may have spotted Lily greeting visitors at Cabinets of Curiosity, sprinkling pixie dust at the fairy village, or wrangling large lantern puppets at the lantern parade. She recently received a very serious trophy from RAS, acknowledging her heroic work in protecting the eyeballs of the public from Phinneas Phoenix’s majestic but rascally tail feathers during the lantern parade. We are so grateful to have Lily in our weird and wonderful Random Acts Family. When not sprinkling pixie dust or protecting the public from phoenix tail feathers, Lily studies Landscape Design at MSU, plays outdoors, and is a dear friend to many lucky people.

The Community Wishing Tree was all that we wished it to be and much, much more. As with all Random Acts of Silliness, it too shall fade away until another day. If you’d like to visit, today is the day. It will begin to disappear tomorrow, Thursday 5/14, at 8am. Huge thanks to @rootboundarborists for making that disappearing act possible. Boundless gratitude and sparkly rainbow high fives to everyone who participated in this community affirming project! The Wishing Tree is at 35 N. Bozeman, in front of the Cok Kinzler building. You can find more photos and information about wishing tree traditions around the world on pur website. Magical photos by Lo Hunter.

Join us on Sunday the 17th from 10am to 12:30pm to learn about crankies and get inspired! Crankie experts Sue Truman of the Crankie Factory and Marla Goodman of Bozeman Crankie Community will be sharing their knowledge and answering questions. You’ll even be able to crank a crankie yourself! This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Sign up on our website by following the What’s Next link in our bio.

We’re looking for an Assistant Shenaniganator aka Production and Marketing Assistant! Is that person you? Do you like helping to bring wild ideas to life? Do you enjoy all the serious details and organization required to do that? Applications are due Monday, May 11th so shenanny over to our website to check out the details!

Wowza! Shazam! THANK YOU!!!!! We are so grateful for this community who showed up for @givebiggv and the Wishing Tree! ALL our wishes came true and then some!🎉 💝 Over 1000 wishes on the Wishing Tree 💝 Almost $30,000 in donations to Random Acts of Silliness (far exceeding our Give Big goal!) 💝A whopping $3 million dollars raised by everyone during Give Big!!!! The way everyone came together to support and celebrate this place and its people was truly a dream come true. Thank you. Now let’s go make some more magic!!! ✨✨✨ Roxy, Boomer, and GoGo will be making appearances across the valley this summer, and we have a lot more Random Silliness up our sleeves! 🤪 #givebiggv #randomactsofsilliness

We are SO excited to see you at Silly Hour!!! 5-6pm TODAY May 1st at the Community Wishing Tree, 35 N. Bozeman! Add a wish to the wishing tree, hug a silly monster and get a balloon animal as we close out @givebiggv with a bang and an 🎉aaaaooogaaah! 🎉 #givebiggv

The Wishing Tree is installed! Check it out now at 35 North Bozeman Ave, in front of Cok Kinzler PLLP. You can add your own wish now at Rocky Mountain Toy Company or join us on Friday, May 1st from 5-6pm for Silly Hour! We have two wishes of our own that we would like to share with you: WISH 1: you GIVE BIG NOW* so we can continue to make magical public art for all. WISH 2: you consider GIVING BIG* to some of the inspiring arts nonprofits tagged below. *You can GIVE BIG NOW, fee free, using the link in our bio! ‌ @406cirque @bigskyarts @artsincubatorranch @baroquemusicmontana @bozemanactorstheatre @bozemanartmuseum @bozemanfilmsociety @bozemanfriendsofmusic @bozemansymphony @bozemanchildrenstheatre @compassionpject @gallatintrumpetguild @indepen__dance @montanaballet @mtchambermusic @montana_shakespeare @mtnairdance @opera_montana @mountaintimearts mountaintimearts @opendoortheater @raisondetredanceproject @slamfestivals @sweetpeafestival @‌theellentheatre @tinworksart @vergetheater @wmpacbigsky gsky ky @theemerson_mt @givebiggv Photos by @lohunterphoto ✨

The Community Wishing Tree is going to be filled with so much hope, care, love, and silliness! Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for all your heartfelt wishes. They will be hung today on the Community Wishing Tree at 35 N. Bozeman in front of Coke Kinzler LLP! Please join us on Friday, May 1st at Silly Hour from 5-6pm to witness and contribute to our community’s shared hopes and dreams. Visitors can also get free hugs and high fives from Roxy, Boomer, and GoGo, our team of silly monsters! If you value community art installations like this, please consider donating to Random Acts of Silliness during @givebiggv from 6pm on Thursday 4/30 to 6pm on Friday, May 1st! BIG THANKS TO OUR WISH GATHERING PARTNERS! @bozemanlibrary + @bozeman_health Cancer Center + Bozeman Senior Center + @bienvenidosgv + @bigskyyouthempowerment + @cancersupportcommunitybozeman + @crosscut_mt + @eaglemountbozeman + @gvlt + @havenmt + @thehrdc + @helpcenterincmt + @reachbozeman + @allthrive + @rockymountaintoycompany Students and Staff at: Bozeman Montessori + Emily Dickinson Elementary + Longfellow Elementary + Gallatin High School + Hyalite Elementary + Whittier Elementary + and more! SPARKLY GRATITUDE FOR OUR GENEROUS PARTNERS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN! Cok Kinzler PLLP + @norcresttreeservice + @rootboundarborists #givebiggallatinvalley #givebiggallatinvalley2026 #randomactsofsilliness

There’s still time to make a wish! @rockymountaintoycompany is still gathering wishes for our community wishing tree through Tuesday afternoon. Head over and make a wish of your own! Your wish will be added to hundreds of wishes collected all around our community. The wishing tree will be unveiled on Friday May 1st. Join us for Silly Hour 5-6pm. Roxy and her friends will be there giving out hugs and high fives in exchange for candy corn. Just kidding, they’re free, but…. Beginning at 6pm on Thursday the 30th, you can make a fee-free donation to Random Acts of Silliness, to help us continue to bring art, fun, and whimsy (and maybe candy corn) to our community! #givebiggv #givebiggv2026

Roxy and her friends are so excited to see you at @gallatinvalleyearthday this Saturday!

We are seeking an Assistant Shenaniganator, aka Production and Marketing Assistant! We are growing our small team and are looking to add a fun loving, detail oriented person (or gnome) to join us in bring public art and theater to the Gallatin Valley. In collaboration with the rest of the Creative Team here at Random Acts of Silliness, this person (or gnome) will support and participate in planning, marketing, and implementing RAS art and theater programming. So you enjoy shenaniganating? Does this sound like something you’d be interested in? More info can be found in the link in our bio, just look for the We’re Hiring button to learn more. Applications are due by May 11th. Photo from the Gnome Roam by @loneman_photography

Friday 4/24 is the last day to add your wish ribbon to the Community Wishing Tree! Public wish collection sites are @bozemanlibrary and @rockymountaintoycompany. Wishes are also being collected from nonprofits, businesses, and schools all across the valley! Can’t make it there? You can share your wish with us by tagging @random_acts_of_silliness or DMing us. You can call or text us at 406-600-2184 too. The Wishing Tree will be unveiled next week!

We want your wishes! Our Super Silly Team is creating a Community Wishing Tree! In the tradition of Wishing Trees around the world, the tree will be filled with thousands of ribbon filled with wishes for our community. Wishes are being collected in partnership with local nonprofits, businesses, and schools. We would love to hang your wish on the tree too! You are invited to visit the Bozeman Public Library to fill out a ribbon wish of your own. Look for the table outside the Children’s Room and follow the instructions to add your wish. We encourage you to think about non-material things like hope, healing and peace. The Wishing Tree will be unveiled on Friday, May 1st as part of our Give Big Gallatin Valley celebration. Save the date for Silly Hour with our monster mascots Roxy, Boomer, and GoGo at 35 N. Bozeman!

The deadline is almost here! Submissions for this year’s Crankie Fest are due Sunday. Application info can be found via the link in our bio, just click on What’s Next!

We’re handing the mic to you! Ask us anything about applying for and participating in this year’s Crankie Fest and Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village in virtual informational sessions this Sunday, 4/12! Crankie Info Session 2:00pm Fairy Village Info Session 3:00pm Links to join via zoom can be found using the link in our bio, click on What’s Next. Shamelessly eyecatching photo of Major Monster, our Silly Monster Marching Band leader!

Volunteer with us! Help make our next random act of silliness come to life by cutting ribbonsfor a community wishing tree. The job: Cutting ribbon. We provide everything you need, except you! The result: A brightly colored tree filled with hundreds of wishes written on strips of ribbon appearing on May 1st during Give Big You can sign up for a ribbon cutting party from 11am-3pm on Tuesday 4/7, Wednesday 4/8, and Thursday 4/9 at our office inside the Trust for Public Lands offices. You can also sign up to take ribbon home to cut on your own time. Invite a friend and have fun! Find the Volunteer Opportunities link in our bio and follow the prompts to sign up.

We’re hiring! We and our magical team here at Random Acts of Silliness are searching high and low for the next Wizard Behind the Curtain! We are in need of a new team member to help us bring more joy and whimsy to the Gallatin Valley as as our Operations Manager or, in RAS terms, our Wiz. This role is high energy and execution-focused, ensuring the seamless and professional delivery of all administrative needs and seasonal events while preserving the creativity, joy, and playfulness at the heart of our mission.  For more info, find the link our bio. Know someone who might fit the wizard hat? Please share this post!

Have you dreamed of being a fairy architect in Bumblewood Thicket? Do you see possibility in every mushroom, cool rock, or twisty stick that you come across? Do you yearn to build affordable fairy housing? If so, we are now accepting applications for the 2026 fairy village! To learn more, find the What’s Next button in our bio which links to our events page. You can also find out how to attend an online info session where you get to ask all your fairy construction and design questions! We’ll be having two zoom info sessions: Thursday, April 2nd at 12pm and Sunday, April 12th at 3pm. If you are thinking about participating for the first time, we highly recommend attending an info session. The deadline to apply is April 19th, so start scheming. We look forward to seeing what you think the fairy village needs! Photo: Fairy Architect @emmikatjohnson hunting for building supplies.

Calling all creatives! We are requesting proposals for Crankie Fest exploring the theme: ”Out of the Box: Extraordinary Storytelling.” The crankies will be performed in intimate venues in Bozeman and Belgrade for RAS’ 4th annual Crankie Festival in November, 2026. A crankie is a moving picture scroll that tells a story while being cranked. This year we are encouraging people to think outside the box both literally and figuratively, and to let their imaginations run wild! Unique story telling, alternative crankie boxes, wacky shadow puppetry… we encourage any and all ideas! To learn more, find the What’s Next button in our bio which links to our events page. You can also find out how to attend an online info session where you get to ask all your burning (and cranking?) questions on Wednesday, April 1st at 12pm. We look forward to seeing what’s in those creative brains out there! Tip o’ the hat to @mtmgoo who created this snazzy crankie top hat!🎩✨ Photo of our Whimsy & Wonder Director by @loneman_photography

Hi! We have gained over 1000 new followers in the last month. Welcome everybody! Here’s a snazzy new video about Random Acts. Read on for some bonus silly and serious facts about us. ✨ We are an arts non-profit in Bozeman, Montana producing free, accessible, and joyful public art installations and events for our community. ✨ We believe job titles should be fun, so we have an Executive Enchantment Director, a Whimsy & Wonder Director, a Creator of Captivating Capers, and a Wizard Behind the Curtain… and we’ll be hiring soon! ✨ And we can’t forget our sassy team of silly monster mascots: Roxy, Boomer, and GoGo! There’s never a dull moment with those fuzzy goofballs around. ✨ Together, our team has 64 fingers, 58 toes, and 10 funny bones. Silly Monsters are born with two! ✨ You can learn more about our team, including what superpower each of us dream of having, on our website. ✨ We do 3 big annual events: Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village, Crankie Fest, and the Menagerie of the Imaginary Lantern Celebration. Sprinkled in-between are truly random acts of silliness such as our Silly Monster Story Stand, Silly Monster Marching Bands, and Silly Snow Faces. We know - that’s a whole lot of silly - but we have even more truly random acts of silliness planned for this year! Stick around and see what we come up with next. ✨ Big thanks to pixel magician Kyler Ernst who created this video, and to the wonderful people (and monsters) who participated in its filming. You’re the best! ✨ You can find links in our bio to watch more videos, see photos, learn about our team, and donate to help keep the magic going. Thank you for reading this far! Have a super silly day! 🌈✨🌸🌞🫧

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