Trigon: Three Headed Dragon

Over her lifetime, Trigon grew to become an icon to the Raleigh community.  Thousands of community volunteers — from infant to older adult — helped to create and bring Trigon to life so she could lead the People’s Procession at First Night, Raleigh. 

Trigon lead the People’s Procession for 14 Year – from First Night 1991 to 2005, represented Artsplosure in the1992 4th of July Parade and was present at the opening of the BTI Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, NC.  Trigon was designed and created with the help of over 50 community volunteers, including four generations of the Williams family of Clayton, NC.  This mobile puppet required forty-seven volunteers including sixteen young people, age 5 – 12 years, to bring her to life and move her along Raleigh streets during First Night Raleigh People’s Procession.

Trigon was supported in many processions by other participatory artworks create by Layne including Daffy Dots, Broom Brigade, FACE, Flags, Red Wagons and Baby Dragons. Her total length was 225 feet including her chest and head platform, and consisted of 36 body sections and a tail section.

The three heads represented the Triangle Region and as Raleigh is the capital of the State, each dragon head was fashioned to reflect the three main areas of North Carolina (orange head for the Coast, red head for the Piedmont and yellow head for the Mountains.

The dragon heads were fabricated using fiberglass & resin over a wire mesh structure with the materials being donated by Reichold Chemicals, Research Triangle Park, NC.  Trigon’s body consisted of stretch knit fabric supported by PVC pipe rings, the fabric being donated by Mill Outlet Village, Raleigh, NC.  Trigon breathed smoke from each of the three mouths with use of three fire extinguishers that were hand emitted by volunteers pushing the dragon-head movable platform.  The three heads were illuminated internally using car headlights attached to a DC battery, while roaring dragon sounds emitted from a battery powered auto tape player, were all carried on the movable platform.

One image shows the head and body of Trigon stretched out on the lawn next to the North Carolina Courthouse ready for volunteers to show up and take their places as participants in moving Trigon along the streets of Raleigh, leading the people’s procession on New Year’s Eve.  Each participant wore a spike like fabric head piece representing Trigon’s spines.

Resting in the main room of Raleigh City Museum, one image is of the three heads of Trigon resting atop its moveable platform.  Along with the physical Trigon sculpture, the walls and tables around the room displayed multiple First Night buttons, posters, t-shirts, signs, catalogues and photographs depicting Trigon and community members interacting with her during her 14 years of leading the People’s Procession on New Year’s Eve.