Burlington Review

Burlington County has introduced 18 new troll sculptures as part of the Burlington County Troll Trek, a public art exhibition organized by the Burlington County Commissioners and the Burlington County Parks System. The exhibition aims to promote recycling, sustainability, and creativity.

Inspired by Big Rusty, a large troll created by artist Thomas Dambo at Hainesport’s future Creek Turn Park, these new trolls are also made from recycled and natural materials. They have been placed in various locations throughout the county.

The unveiling took place during the Arts After Dark festival at Historic Smithville Park. A map detailing the locations of all 18 trolls was released during the ceremony and is available online.

“Troll Trek was created to honor and thank Thomas Dambo for selecting Burlington County as the home of one of his famous trolls,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “To do that, we decided to bring Big Rusty some troll friends. Now that they have arrived, we hope residents will visit each of them and marvel at the creativity of these artists. We also hope the trolls make people think more about protecting our natural environment and reimagine what we toss out as trash.”

The new trolls were crafted by 16 artists or teams who were selected from numerous submissions. Each artist or team received a $500 stipend for materials and installation costs.

The trolls include:

- “Big Rusty” by Thomas Dambo at future Creek Turn Park

- “Gracie the Garden Troll” by Norma and John Neimeister at Historic Smithville Park

- “Troll on a Stroll” by KT Carney at Historic Smithville Park

- And others spread across different sites in Burlington County

Funding for this project came from the Burlington County Commissioners and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts with support from various local organizations.

“We’re excited to welcome these new additions to our county,” said Burlington County Commissioner Allison Eckel. “Each troll is unique and we look forward to seeing them all inspire more people to create and take an interest in the arts.”

Visitors are encouraged to take photos with the trolls but are asked not to climb on them or vandalize them. The exhibit will be open through December 31.