Inspired by the tradition of sprout people at festivals, I wanted to create a handmade (and less wasteful) version of this interaction where the exchange itself became part of the experience. I adapted the idea from handmade dandelion staffs I had seen at Renaissance Faires to create a giant dandelion for an interactive festival object to spread a little more whimsy and joy throughout Outsidelands. I adapted the original staff concept into a smaller, more mobile form, with a flexible metal core that allowed the oversized flower to gently sway and bounce through the crowd like a living object.
A ROAMING INTERACTION
Over the weekend, I invited people to make a wish on the giant dandelion. The head of the dandelion was made up of over a hundred iridescent seeds, which could be plucked from the head of the dandelion and gifted to the wisher, as a physical symbol of this interaction.
The dandelion became a recurring character around the park over the weekend. People stopped to tell me they had seen it earlier, asked to photograph it for their friends and family members (who had a special connection to dandelions), or shared memories it brought up for them. My favorite part was watching people realize they could keep a piece of the interaction. One person even found me again hours after receiving a seed puff, excited to reunite with the mama dandelion, and told me it had made her festival.
DISPERSAL
What began as one handmade object gradually dispersed into the festival. Though the giant totem itself grew more sparse, its seeds began popping up throughout the festival-- tucked behind ears, worn as a sparkly hair accessory, or waved in the air along to the music as tiny dancing totems. In a way, the dandelion came to reflect the festival itself: many individual pieces coming together to create a beautiful whole, then carrying a little piece of that shared experience away with them forever.
