Where’s the party? What are we celebrating? How do puppets help us make sense of our issues, emotions, and thoughts through a visual experience? The W.P. Puppet Theater Society (WPTS) is exploring those questions! They are bringing the 10th edition of Puppet Power: Festival of Ideas to Calgary this May, and the theme is Celebration and Ceremony. The online conference will look at the role inanimate objects have had in ceremonies and celebrations throughout time and will explore the impact and potential of puppetry. But even better, families are invited to a Family Festival Day on May 23, 2022, filled with hands-on activities, performances, and puppets!

As Puppet Power 2022 is centred around the theme of ‘celebration’, it will look at the role that inanimate objects have had in ceremonies and celebrations throughout time. This feels particularly poignant after 2 years of trying to creatively celebrate and commemorate special events during the pandemic! The conference will explore how puppetry has the power to explore larger social issues and can stand as a power symbol within them, while presenting key learnings and tools vital to professionals in education and health care, therapists, and visual and performing artists. With local, national, and international master puppeteers and presenters, plus inspiring talks, panels, workshops, and performances, Puppet Power is for anyone inspired to express themselves creatively, develop personal skills, and promote positive social change.

The conference will be operating in a hybrid format and will run from May 23 – 29, 2022, kicking off with a live, in-person Family Festival Day on May 23, 2022, at Highland Park Community Association, while May 24 – 29, 2022, offers a variety of online performances and workshops. Designed for families and all those who feel young at heart, you can engage in all kinds of activities celebrating puppets! Watch puppet shows, make your own take-home puppets, or join a puppet parade. Build a kite (an upside-down marionette!) and enjoy face painting, treats, and much more. The festival is FREE to attend, although there will be a small fee to attend the drop-in puppet-making to cover supplies. You can see the schedule here to make sure you catch all the fun!

If you are curious about the conference in general, an all-access pass to all of the Puppet Power events is available for $111.00 + fees, or you can get tickets for individual events. Find the full list of speakers and presentation topics here.

If nothing else, be sure you make it to the Family Festival Day and enjoy some creativity and laughter with your family. Spark your imagination this spring, with Puppet Power 2022!

Puppet Power:

When: In-person, May 23, 2022, Online, May 24 – 29, 2022
Time: 12 – 4 pm
Where: High Park Community Association
Address: 3716 2 St NW, Calgary, AB
Website: www.wppuppet.com/puppet-power
Facebook Event: www.facebook.com