If you've ever walked along Q Street near Logan Circle in Northwest D.C., an elaborate display in front of one home may have stopped you in your tracks.
Topless Barbies stick out of the dirt. Flags and glitter cover the garden and surround a small pond and fountain. Sometimes Ken makes an appearance or two or three. And whatever the Barbies and Kens are up to, it's probably a reference to the biggest national news or the next big holiday.
Welcome to the Barbie Pond.
The Barbie Pond has enthusiastic followers in the D.C. area and even a few across the country. The local oddity describes itself on Instagram as "Lowering Logan Circle property values since 2014." (The displays began before the Instagram posts — more on that below.)
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The Barbie Pond has a Yelp page, a Trip Advisor page, a Google profile and an Atlas Obscura page, where it's called a "curious collection." Local news outlets from Washingtonian to The Washington Post have covered the display. But the owner of the house, who puts together the displays, shies away from the spotlight.
Ahead of the release of the "Barbie" movie next month, News4 managed to get in touch with the enigmatic Barbie Pond owner via email. He answered our burning questions on the condition that his identity remain a secret. Here's that conversation, edited for style and clarity.
When did you start putting together your Barbie displays?
I didn’t mean for it to become a whole thing. Around 13 years ago, I randomly placed some "cake head” dolls (used to form the torso for doll cakes) in front of the little pond in front of my house. It got some laughs from the neighbors, so I added some full-sized Barbies.
One thing led to another, and all the sudden I’m doing theme displays for holidays and posting videos on Instagram.
What inspired the Barbie Pond? Have the displays gotten more elaborate over the years?
I started out doing it for the laughs and to see how people would respond. But over time — as it really became a thing and strangers were constantly sharing how much the pond meant to them — it became more about community and wanting to provide some fun in a town that can sometimes use some light and levity.
As the followers grew, we felt the pressure to rise to the occasion. So the themes and installations became more elaborate over time. After a couple years into it, I enlisted the help of two good friends, including a talented carpenter.
Why do it in the first place, and why have you stuck with it?
It’s a silly yet fun creative outlet, and we really enjoy seeing the joy that it brings to other people. It’s become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Is the anonymity for an air of mystery or because you just prefer to stay out of the spotlight? Both? Something else?
The anonymity was not intentional. I simply did not want my name in the news and prefer to stay out of the spotlight. And yes, it’s nice to preserve a little mystery.
How do you avoid neighbors/passersby seeing you put together the display? Do you have late-night decorating sessions?
In the very early days, I would check to see if anyone was walking by because it felt so silly putting dolls in my front yard :) But that wore off long ago, so now we do it whenever the three of us have time. We get a lot of questions and comments when folks see us changing it out.
How many hours of work go into a typical display?
Not as much as you might think. We have so many Barbies and supplies (in part because of the generous donations of supporters!) so we have most of what we need. My carpenter friend puts in the most time. I mean, have you seen his Eiffel Tower or last supper scene? That is serious craft!
How much money has it cost over the years, would you guess?
Honestly, I could not say. We try to recycle and repurpose as much as possible, so as not to be wasteful.
Do you do anything to prep the Barbies for the outdoors? Waterproofing, anything else?
We do very little — in fact, basically nothing — to weatherize anything. So, quite often by the end of the month, a display may look a bit haggard.
How do you decide which holidays or events to Barbie-fy? Do you have a favorite holiday?
We do a lot of the obvious holidays, though sometimes we try to mix it up. This year, for example, we did a Hanukkah display instead of Christmas.
We also try to stay on top of current events and have specific themes, like COVID or an election.
Do you have a favorite display, or one you’re particularly proud of?
One of my favorites was when we put out a fully working children’s toy train track that went around the pond for a Christmas display. It felt both celebratory and completely over the top, which is something we aspire to!
The Barbies don’t shy away from politics, with a couple of the displays posted to your Instagram account supporting Biden/Harris and coming out against Trump. Was that something you debated doing?
We try to stay topical, and we also have a point of view. If something is happening we feel strongly about, we don’t think twice. We’ve also used the pond as a platform to rally folks, in our small way, behind causes — whether raising money for Ukrainian refugees or speaking out against ‘don’t say gay’ laws.
Are you excited for the Barbie movie coming out this summer?
Yes, and we’re ready. Stay tuned ...
Is there anything you want more people to know about the Barbie Pond, or that you wish you could tell people reading?
A huge thanks to anyone who has followed and enjoyed the pond. Your interest and support keep us motivated and inspired.
