When: 27th – 29th September 2013
Where: Skipton, North Yorkshire
£: Ticket prices vary depending on the event. Some events are free.
What is it?
From flea circuses to giant sheep, trolls to tea kettles, the streets of a quiet Dales market town will be once again filled with puppets at the end of September as Skipton International Puppet Festival returns for its fifth outing.
The festival takes over venues across Skipton, with the Puppet Parade through the town centre on the Sunday afternoon. Local schools and community groups are getting involved too, with workshops and special performances using puppets to tell stories that are interesting, funny, and thought-provoking.
The festival mixes traditional and more experimental puppetry, with performers travelling to Yorkshire from as far afield as Croatia and the Czech Republic. There’ll also be plenty of homegrown favourites like the Giant Swaledale Sheep and their sheepdog, who’ll be herding the puppets in the parade.
There’s something for everyone in this warm and inspiring festival, from Baobab and Bushbaby for the under threes through to a more experimental slapstick show for the grownups in Les Homes Vides. There will be eighty performances in total, with a mix of free and paid events so there’s something for everyone, whatever your budget.
Get involved in the free workshops before the festival, on 14th,15th, 21st and 22nd September. Get stuck in and build giant willow, bamboo and paper creatures for the festival parade, with as much or as little help as you need from professional puppet-builders, then take part in the parade.
More info: www.skiptonpuppetfestival.co.uk