Crow With Fries swoops into Auburn; sculpture’s Landing Celebration is May 31

Crow With Fries discovered Les Gove Park this week.

Standing 12 feet tall and stretching 18 feet long, the crow is a public art piece, a powder-coated aluminum structure shaped by the hands of artist Peter Reiquam.

Reiquam installed the big bird and its choice of food at the park on Wednesday in preparation for the official Landing Celebration on May 31.

The city of Auburn commissioned Reiquam to create an iconic public art piece to occupy the former Big Daddy’s Drive-In site by the popular park. Inspired by the history of the site and the countless playful crows that frequent the park, Reiquam designed and sculpted Crow With Fries.

Crow With Fries, replete with eyes that light up at night, seeks to spark the imagination of thousands who drive along Auburn Way South and encourages the public to visit the park and meet the winged creature.

Reiquam has been successfully creating interactive, site specific public art for more than 30 years. Each of his projects is a unique response to the special character of a given site, inspired by its history, culture, architecture and surrounding landscape.

Celebration of the Crow, an art exhibition, will remain on display at the Auburn Community & Event Center, 910 Ninth St. SE until July 9.

The landing celebration in the park – from 6 to 7:30 p.m, – will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, entertainment, curated art activities related to crows and fun crow-inspired games. Free hot dogs, chips, drink and dessert will also be served.

For more information, visit auburnwa.gov.