SKIPTON Puppet Festival is to return for an eighth exciting event later this year.

The three day, international bi-annual festival, which will take place in October, is celebrating getting a ‘substantial’ grant from the Arts Council on top of support from Skipton BID , Craven District Council, and Skipton Town Council.

Once again, the festival will include both traditional and experimental puppetry, from Punch and Judy to fire breathing dragons and puppets made from rubbish. It will also feature a puppet parade through the town centre, workshops and both free and ticketed events.

Liz Lempen, one of the festival’s directors, said they never took funding for granted, no matter how successful and popular the event was.

“Some might expect that given its successful track record there would be no question over the festival’s future, but this is never the case,” she said.

“I think we can see this as acknowledgement of the important role played by Skipton Puppet Festival both at local, community level and within the arts nationally, but we also give a huge sigh of relief that we have not been another casualty of the current economic situation. We can now celebrate the festival’s contribution to the unique character of the town and get working to produce another sparkling puppet weekend.”

The team is now busy planning performances and promises there will be something for everyone, including families, enthusiasts and puppetry professionals. There will also be plenty of opportunity for schools and others to get involved. Tickets for the event, from October 4 to October 6, will go on sale in August. To find out more over the coming weeks, visit the website at:skiptonpuppetfestival.co.uk