This Bank Holiday weekend Ards Arts Centre and Conway Square, Newtownards will be animated with puppets in all shapes and sizes when the annual Ards Puppet Festival returns to the town!
Over the two days, Sunday 26 and Monday 27 May, the jam-packed programme will offer scheduled shows, street theatre, walkabouts and craft workshops.
The Conway Square programme of activities which runs from 12noon to 4pm each day, includes colourful street-theatre, whacky walkabouts and puppet-making workshops. Watch the ‘Billy Goats Gruff’ as they tussle with the grumpy troll, queue up at the ‘Rat Choc Chip’ ice-cream van and get more than you’ve bargained for, enjoy a ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ or traditional ‘Punch and Judy’. More creative visitors can get stuck into puppet-making at the free interactive workshops where children can build their very own puppets, with help from professional artists.
One of the programme highlights will be performances by the Budapest Marionettes. Performing for the first time in Northern Ireland, Bence Sarkadi is a Hungarian marionette artist / puppeteer who travels the globe, entertaining crowds with his award-winning, one-man show. Prepare to be amazed as Bence’s mastery brings his puppets to life. All Conway Square performances are FREE of charge.
Lyngo Theatre bring their productions of Tom Thumb and Jack and the Beanstalk to the festival where cBeebies’ Patrick Lynch will work his magic, retelling these classic tales in the magical Lyngo way. Clydebuilt Theatre will make a welcome return to the festival with their adorable ‘Lost Bear’ production and the much-loved Banyan Theatre will also return with their enchanting show ‘The Hedgehog Prince’. All scheduled shows cost £3 per ticket, advanced booking is required. Please note the 11.30am performance of Jack and the Beanstalk on Sunday is now sold out but there are tickets remaining for the other shows.
Speaking about the festival, Amy McKelvey, Community Arts Development Officer with Ards and North Down Borough Council said*****************************************************
Ards Puppet Festival takes place from 26 – 27 May in Conway Square Newtownards. Copies of the Puppet Festival programme are also available from Ards Arts Centre, North Down Museum or any of the Council’s Visitor Information Centres.
For more information, to book tickets or to download the programme go to: www.ardsarts.com