What are the dandelions on Salem Parkway? A factual guide to Winston-Salem's 'Invasive Hope'

Three large metal dandelion sculptures appeared along Salem Parkway in downtown Winston-Salem overnight on May 28, 2026. The Winston-Salem Journal reported that a section of the parkway was closed for several hours while crews installed the pieces ¹. Here is what the sculptures are, where they are, what they cost, and who made them — drawn from the City of Winston-Salem and local news reporting, with sources listed at the end.

What the sculptures are

The installation is titled "Invasive Hope." According to the City of Winston-Salem, it consists of three monumental steel-and-aluminum dandelion sculptures placed along Salem Parkway, and the pieces are designed to show the full life cycle of a dandelion — from yellow blooms to the white seed head ². The city describes the dandelion as a symbol of persistence, grit, and hope, chosen to reflect a community that perseveres through adversity ².

Salem Parkway is the downtown highway corridor formerly known as Business 40, which reopened in 2020 after a reconstruction project, according to the Winston-Salem Journal ¹.

Where they are

The City of Winston-Salem states that the sculptures run along Salem Parkway between the Peters Creek Parkway exit and the Church Street bridge ². WFDD reported that the design includes a tall dandelion along the parkway and dandelion bouquets placed on the Church Street bridge that are lit at night ³.

How big they are

The City of Winston-Salem published the following specifications for the largest sculpture, the seed-head piece ²:

• Total flower height: more than 40 feet.
• Total flower weight: 4,347 pounds.
• Stem weight: approximately 3,400 pounds.
• Seed-head orb: about 16 feet in total diameter.
• Seeds: 86 seeds in the orb, with close to 40 more on the ground.
• A single seed: about 5 feet tall and 5.6 pounds.

The city states the sculptures are made of steel and aluminum ².

Who designed and built them

According to the City of Winston-Salem, the artists were selected through a competitive national call for artists, and the winning team was based in Winston-Salem. The city identifies the lead applicant as Chad Cheek, then the owner of the firm Elephant in the Room, working with collaborators Adam Sebastian of STITCH Design Shop, architect Drew Gerstmyer, and Andrew Viator of Viator Design and Construction. The city states that all four are long-time Winston-Salem residents who started their businesses in the city ².

On the project's local economic impact, the city states that Viator Design and Construction used 15 fabricators who logged more than 2,000 hours of fabricating, polishing, and finishing work; that about 90% of that crew lives in Forsyth County and the rest in the Triad; and that an estimated 85% of the total sculpture budget went to local businesses and families. The city adds that materials were sourced through distributors in Charlotte and High Point and rolled in Chicago ².

What it cost and where the money came from

The City of Winston-Salem puts the project budget at a little over $1 million. The city states that the 2018 bond initiative funding the reconstruction of Salem Parkway included $1,050,000 specifically allocated to public art along the corridor, and that the public approved that bond ².

The city's published explanation of the funding states that bond money is voted on by the public, is separate from the city's annual tax-revenue budget, and is restricted to the capital projects it was approved for. According to the city, the funds set aside for art could not be used for other projects and would have gone unspent if not used for the art ².

The project drew criticism after its cost circulated on social media. WFDD and WFMY News 2 reported that some community members said the money could have been better spent on needs such as infrastructure, affordable housing, or public safety ^{3 4}. WFMY News 2 quoted Kelly Bennett of Winston-Salem Planning and Development, who said the city spends the majority of its funding on services such as roads, housing, and public safety, but also invests in public art, and who noted that the specifics of how bond money is used are not always detailed when voters approve a bond ⁴.

ABC45 also reported on the unveiling of the three sculptures and the debate over the cost ⁵.

Companion community events

The City of Winston-Salem paired the installation with a series of public art-making events called City of Arts in Bloom ². According to the city's event listing, one event remains upcoming: on Saturday, June 13, 2026, NCMA Winston-Salem hosts a beginner-friendly printmaking session inspired by the installation at Winston Square Park (310 Marshall St N) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The city lists the event as free with online registration ².

FAQ

What are the dandelions on Salem Parkway in Winston-Salem?

A public art installation titled "Invasive Hope" — three steel-and-aluminum dandelion sculptures depicting the flower's life cycle, installed overnight on May 28, 2026, according to the City of Winston-Salem and the Winston-Salem Journal.

How much did the Winston-Salem dandelions cost?

A little over $1 million. The City of Winston-Salem states that a 2018 voter-approved bond earmarked $1,050,000 for public art along Salem Parkway.

Could that money have been spent on roads or housing instead?

According to the City of Winston-Salem, the funds were restricted bond money approved by voters specifically for public art on this corridor, were separate from the city's annual services budget, and would have gone unspent if not used for the art.

Who designed and built them?

The City of Winston-Salem identifies a local team: lead applicant Chad Cheek (Elephant in the Room), with Adam Sebastian (STITCH Design Shop), Drew Gerstmyer (architect), and Andrew Viator (Viator Design and Construction).

How tall is the largest dandelion?

The City of Winston-Salem lists the seed-head sculpture at more than 40 feet tall and about 4,347 pounds.

Why a dandelion?

The City of Winston-Salem states the dandelion was chosen to represent persistence, grit, and hope.

Footnotes

1. Winston-Salem Journal — journalnow.com. Coverage of the overnight installation on May 28, 2026 and the parkway closure; Salem Parkway / Business 40 reconstruction reopening in 2020. ↩ ↩²

2. City of Winston-Salem — "Dandelions" project page and FAQ. Project name, location, symbolism, artist team, funding and bond details, economic-impact figures, dimensions, and City of Arts in Bloom event details. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

3. WFDD — wfdd.org. Coverage of the project design (including lit dandelion bouquets on the Church Street bridge) and the social-media criticism over cost. ↩ ↩²

4. WFMY News 2 — wfmynews2.com. Coverage of the social-media criticism over cost and quoted remarks from city planner Kelly Bennett. ↩ ↩²

5. ABC45 — abc45.com. Coverage of the unveiling of the three sculptures and the reported debate over the cost. ↩