BEHOLD! The Worlds Largest Dragonfly!
Located in Wabamun AB, it was installed in 2009. Created by Frank Phaneuf, who is a structural welder, with the intent to draw more tourists to town. It is the unofficial mascot of the village due to the annual hatching of thousands of dragonflies each June, also the same month the Dragonfly Festival is held. The 'Frankenfly' includes aircraft wings, a light standard and propane tanks. It is 30ft long and it's wings are about 30ft wide.
Are there any 'Worlds Largest' something or other near you? I now need to go find the Worlds Largest Mosquito, which does exist, in Manitoba.
That's very impressive. Also enjoyed the link to your other roadside attractions. We don't seem to go in for that sort of thing around here, though I did show a whole garden full of animal sculptures back on Jan 31.
ReplyDeleteHi John, I bet your towns and villages are interesting enough. There are dozens of these all across Canada...I bet someone somewhere has made it their mission to see them all!
DeleteWe have this big stupid aluminum baseball bat in Edmonton for some reason. But the BEST big thing in Edmonton is the Big Cowboy Boot which is outside what used to be a cowboy boot store but which is now some kind of biker store.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a lot of these big roadside attractions across the prairies. I love them!
I have seen the bat a few times, including again this last weekend. I should've posted it too! I like them too, they're silly and fun!
DeleteI've seen the world's largest axe, in Nackawic, NB. There's a giant turkey in La Riviere, MB, and it doesn't surprise me that we have the largest mosquito in Manitoba! Recently I saw the statue for the world's largest pumpkin in Roland, MB. I like things like that.
ReplyDeleteMe too Steve! Silly and fun and my son likes them! I still haven't seen the giant pyrogy in Glendon, AB...it's on my list lol!
DeleteIt is an interesting site to rummage through. I've seen a few like the nickel in Sudbury.
ReplyDeleteHi RedPat, that nickle is famous!
DeleteThe tiny town in northern Minnesota where my parents grew up and where I was born has the odd name of Blackduck. So of course the main attraction was a huge black concrete duck. The high school kids would whitewash the duck every summer. The town now has a new, fancy duck out by the highway, but I always went to the back street where the original black duck now lives. He is part of my childhood and last I heard, the kids still carry on the tradition with the whitewash. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki! I googled it and I like the original black duck. There is a town near me called Black Diamond and, you guess it, it has a giant black diamond! I like the literal translations of their names into something interesting.
DeleteThat's fun to see. I seen some in the US but none here. I followed your link and saw the other roadside attractions you posted. Very cool and I love your son's expressions as he poses as your model. :)
ReplyDeleteIn Salcha, Alaska the joke is the mosquito is the state bird and they have a very big wooden mosquito sculpture assembled from wood burls.
Hi Bill! I can't even imagine the mosquitos in Alaska..they can get bad here and I bet it's nothing compared!
DeleteEons ago they were really giant, maybe not that big, but you get the picture.
ReplyDeleteJurassic Dragonflys!
DeleteThat's cool!
ReplyDeleteThe first ones around here that come to mind are the Big Nickel out in Sudbury, and a big Canada goose northwest of there at Wawa.
Hi William, RedPat mentioned the nickel too and I have seen photos of it. It must have stuck in my mind yesterday because I dreamed about it lol.
DeleteLol. Love it! Sorry to say, I think we have the largest mosquitos here Jenn!
ReplyDeleteHi Marie! LOL, hopefully they don't migrate. I'd still prefer giant mosquito to giant spiders! eeek!
Delete...first off your banner image is magical. Sometime when I'm in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York State, I think that the black flies are this BIG! 😟
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom! That farm in my banner has a very cool history, it was built by the railroad company as a demonstration farm to show prospective homesteaders what they would get if they settled in the area. LOL the flies will start carrying people away soon!
DeleteWoW!!! this is definitely a piece that would make you spin around for a second look!! i stop for all of these attractions, i don't think my town has a roadside attraction like this, nope, we don't. funny, i never thought about it before!!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie, I love these quirky things too! Amazingly I missed it driving into town but saw it on the way out! haha
DeleteThat's pretty cool, and I love your beautiful sky!!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Not sure what I like more, sunny blue skies or cloudy dramatic skies...we have no shortage of either!
DeleteI've never heard of a Dragonfly Festival before, but that's kind of cool. We're a little over an hour from Gaffney, SC, and the water tower there is shaped like a giant peach. Unfortunately, depending on the angle, and your perception, it can also look like a giant butt in the sky. I still think that might be better than the giant mosquito, though.
ReplyDeletehahaha I have seen photos of that peach! I can see how it looks kind of butt-ish lol!!
DeleteThat IS big Jenn! I think we have a big banana, pineapple and lobster to name but a few around Australia 🍌🍍😀
ReplyDeleteOOoooh I would be excited to find a giant pineapple!!
DeleteThat's so cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ash! I love roadside attractions!
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