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Frankie Feetsplinters & Trolls of the PNW

Jun 18, 2026

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Included with Museum admission; RSVPs required

2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107

206.789.5707

Learn about troll folklore and the iconic Dambo trolls of the Pacific Northwest

Trolls are Nordic Nature creatures. They are scary, clumsy and loveable! They emerge out of the mountains and forests of Scandinavia and have existed in Nordic folklore for many centuries.

Thomas Dambo, the artist behind the NW Trolls: Way of the Bird King, is a Danish wood sculpture artist, a skilled carpenter by trade, environmentalist, and trash artist — and a rapper and a storyteller. Thomas comes from a strong storytelling tradition. He was born in Odense, Denmark, in 1979, the same city as Hans Christian Andersen, some 174 years earlier.

Troll Historian Lotta Gavel Adams will be joined by special guest Edgar the Forest King of Vashon Island for a live Q&A session where you'll learn about a troll's perspective on our world. This event will be moderated by Fidelma McGinn, President of the Scan Design Foundation.

Registration is required to attend this talk.

Meet the Speakers

Lotta Gavel Adams

Professor Emerita of Scandinavian Studies, University of Washington in Seattle
Barbro Osher Chair Emerita of Swedish Studies
Bio

Lotta Gavel Adams

Professor Emerita of Scandinavian Studies, University of Washington in Seattle
Barbro Osher Chair Emerita of Swedish Studies

Ann-Charlotte (Lotta) Gavel Adams is Professor Emerita at the University of Washington, where she taught for 30 years in the Department of Scandinavian Studies. She is a corresponding member for the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, Antiquities and History. She has written and edited seven scholarly books, and two digital publications, mostly on iconic Swedish author August Strindberg.
Edgar

Forest King of Vashon Island
Fidelma McGinn

President, Scan Design Foundation
Bio

Fidelma McGinn

President, Scan Design Foundation

Fidelma has been a leader at the compelling intersection of philanthropy, social enterprise, and community investment for more than 20 years. As an executive leader and Board member, she has focused on creating impactful civic-corporate partnerships. Most recently she served as Chief Philanthropy Officer for Seattle Foundation, one of the largest community foundations in the United States. Throughout her tenure in the non-profit arena, many national and international organizations have sought her guidance, leadership, and financial acumen. Fidelma’s Board experience includes being chair of the National Alliance for Media Arts & Culture, Grantmakers in Film & Electronic Media, and was appointed by Seattle’s Mayor to serve on the influential Seattle Arts Commission.

A native of Ireland, her early career started in the technology field at Microsoft's European Headquarters in Dublin. From there, she emigrated from the Emerald Isle to the Emerald City to join Microsoft's Redmond campus where she worked on the early releases of the Office suite of products.

Fidelma is a graduate of Dublin’s College of Commerce where she studied Marketing & Communications and was an inaugural fellow in the Executive Leadership in the Nonprofit Arts from Stanford University’s Graduate Business School.