THE most recent weekend of puppetry was the 4th weekend in a series of six for Skipton Puppet Festival 2021 and included Ragastani Kathputli marionettes.

Their performance ‘Giant African Elephants’ delighted visitors along with an Indonesian two faced lady and Skipton’s own Giant Swaledales. Following this, a very English Punch & Judy, a miniature stunt man and a pile of Scottish stories completed the rolling Saturday programme.

“The outdoor event went very well with lovely crowds and atmosphere,” said Liz Lempen. You can see from the smiles captured how much people were delighted with the day.

“To round off the Saturday we had a wonderful international show at Skipton Town Hall from Greek company Merlin Puppet Theatre that touched many people’s hearts..”

Family audiences where delighted on Sunday by a traditional marionette circus from Noisy Oyster.

The weekend of entertainment was made possible with financial support from Skipton BBID, Arts Council; England and the National Lottery.

This latest event was the last of the bigger weekend with those remaining taking place in October, on the 9th and 10th, and also on dates in November. These will be taking place indoors as the weather get cooler and the days shorten.

The puppet festival has been entertaining Skipton residents and visitors since 2005 and has become a magnet for puppet enthusiasts. Events were scaled down because of the pandemic but were brought to visitors as soon as regulations allowed.

The festival showcases puppetry from all over the UK and beyond with packed weekends of ticketed and free performances, workshops, exhibitions and a parade.

“Skipton presents an inspirational melting pot for artists and audiences, offering puppet experiences for every age,” Liz added.

Festival organisers are keen to hear from people who have encountered the festival so far, either from watching shows or taking part in workshops.

“Audience feedback is invaluable to us in taking the event forward,” said Liz. “We haven’t wanted to bombard people with form filling at the event but any feedback on what people felt about shows, the organisation, what they enjoyed or what the festival has meant to them would be greatly appreciated. You can email admin@skiptonpuppetfestival.co.uk or make a comment or send a message to the festival on facebook @Skipton Puppet Festival.”