Fantasy Forest Art Carve in Battle Creek This Weekend

Leila Arboretum is adding 14 new sculptures for the 2016 Fantasy Forest Art Carve, June 16-18 in Battle Creek. That will double the total number of sculptures.

Current works of art include Bigfoot, a tin man, a wizard and a troll. New carvings will include a genie in a bottle, Paul Bunyan and more.

The Fantasy Forest Art Carve is a free event.

Additional large tree trunks have been brought in and chainsaw and other artists are being brought in from around the country for the event.

Tens of thousands of visitors have seen the art that now stands where ash trees lived before they were destroyed by the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect pest.

This year's artists include: Gabe LaPeer, Mike Ayers, Tim Klock, Elizabeth Parker, Kimber Thompson, Mark Eckles, Sam Dougherty, Steph Collin, and Jerry Miller. New artists include Alonzo Montoya, Peter Leverentz, and Ron Kane.