Popular northern England puppet parade and festival set to return this autumn

The chance to get up close and personal with captivating puppets will always help to make puppet festivals, parades and events popular, so it’s no surprise to our team here at Puppets By Post to hear that two such events will be returning to Cumbria and North Yorkshire respectively in the autumn.

The streets of Carlisle primed to be enlivened with historical figures

“Historical figures of Carlisle” is the theme for this year’s Carlisle Puppet Pageant Parade, which will once again be the centre of attention in the city centre from 12pm on Saturday 7^th September.

As was the case with last year’s event that proved a big hit among both locals and visitors to Cumbria’s county town, the 2019 parade will be produced by Prism Arts, with support from Carlisle City Council. Everyone from the city’s weavers and coffee merchants to its astronomers and fishermen will be celebrated.

City council leader John Mallinson hailed the parade as a “great community event, which this year will showcase a variety of people from throughout the ages.”

Skipton Puppet Festival readies itself for eighth run

The market town of Skipton in the Craven district of North Yorkshire has carved out a reputation as a major destination for puppetry enthusiasts in recent years, thanks to the Skipton Puppet Festival, which will especially appeal to fans of creepy crawlies during its eighth edition in October.

With no fewer than 24 ticketed indoor shows spread out over three days at a range of venues around the town, as well as street performances, this year’s festival promises to be another resounding success.

Although giant insects will be a key theme this year, and groups have been offered bursaries to make their own puppets and participate in the insect circus parade, there is sure to be plenty of variety – including traditional favourites like Punch and Judy, and a 2.5-metre-high Don Quixote. A giant prehistoric bird skeleton and a fire-breathing dragon will also feature.

A festival spokesperson commented: “Over 60 per cent of shows at Skipton Puppet Festival are free, which means that everyone can experience the puppetry magic regardless of income, enjoying performances from world-class established puppeteers to student and experimental work.”

Those interested in learning more about Skipton Puppet Festival are invited to visit www.skiptonpuppetfestival.co.uk.

As sellers of an extensive range of The Puppet Company hand puppets, Puppets By Post can give you all of the options for appealing, well-made and competitively priced puppets, whether you are an enthusiast, parent, teacher or professional puppeteer. Don’t hesitate, then, to browse the latest additions to our generously stocked online store.