The sixth International Puppet Festival at Skipton is a three-day festival that will start on 2nd October, Friday and end on 4th October, Sunday. The festival will feature 30 companies coming from 8 different European nations that include Iceland, Bulgaria and Belgium. Local talents too will be performing as part of the London School of Puppetry, including Lempen Puppet Theatre of Skipton.
The puppet festival will have something for everyone, right from clay and shadow puppetry for the very young to political satire for adults. An array of performances will be on, including Punch and Judy acts. From marionette circus acts to avant garde acts like Dans L’atelier. The festival will have 23 shows that are ticketed. But the event will be hosting numerous free street theatre and walkabout performances too, at the Coach Street car park, which will be the festival hub. In addition to all this there will be free workshops at Skipton Library. Here families can get involved in building the Hungry Caterpillar.
There will be also workshops sessions to build puppets, play with shadows and for community animation. The puppet festival at Skipton will culminate on 4th October, Sunday, with a grand puppet parade along the High Street. The parade of amateur and professional puppets will dance with Samba bands accompanying them to the festival hub. Tickets for shows are selling fast, but thanks to the support of Craven District Council, Skipton Town Partnership, Skipton Town Council and the Arts Council England, along with many supporters and private sponsors, more than 60% of the performances are free events. Don’t miss the carnival atmosphere at 6th International Skipton Puppet Festival.
