Celebrate Puppet Arts this July at the 2023 National Puppetry Festival

COLLEGE PARK, Md., June 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — A highly anticipated event for puppeteers and puppet enthusiasts is back in person for the first time since 2019. This July, hundreds of puppeteers and fans will celebrate puppetry at the National Puppetry Festival, presented by Puppeteers of America. The festival will be held at the University of Maryland, Jim Henson’s alma mater. It runs July 18th – July 22nd and is open to the public. Festival registration is currently open, the last day to register is June 28th. Learn more HERE.

At this immersive professional development and networking experience participants will explore puppetry through workshops, performances, exhibits, special events, puppet films, a puppet slam, academic symposia, and more! This year, the festival will focus on the theme of Generations by honoring those that went before, celebrating those who are with us now, and encouraging those to come.

Festival Highlights include:

• 32 Live puppetry performances, by award winning national and international artists
• A special program with Las Vegas legend and America’s Got Talent winner, Terry Fator
• A special tribute honoring Sid Krofft
• A bus tour of Jim Henson historical DC sites, with Craig Shemin & Heather Henson
• Workshops from the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson Legacy
• A Puppet Parade, free and open to all! Attend a Saturday workshop to make a puppet and join the fun!
• Wonderland Puppet Theater historical exhibit
• The Charm City Cabaret, highlighting local Baltimore and D.C. talent
• Community Days with workshops and special events perfect for the whole family

For the latest information on festival pricing and details visit: puppeteers.org/national-puppetry-festival.

About Puppeteers of America:

Puppeteers of America (PofA) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1937 to provide information, encourage performances, and build a community of people who celebrate puppet theater. We advance the art of puppetry by presenting knowledge, providing inspiration and promoting preservation. This organization publishes The Puppetry Journal, a quarterly highlighting the latest in contemporary puppetry.

PofA has produced over 160 national and regional festivals to celebrate and share the puppetry arts. We are proud that so many greats in the field like Jim Henson, Bil Baird, and Burr Tillstrom were active members providing leadership, advice and inspiration. To learn more about and see the benefits of membership, visit puppeteers.org.

SOURCE Puppeteers of America