The 38th Annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival will be held on Sunday 12 May in the garden of St Paul's Church, London, known as "the actors' church" near to where Samuel Pepys first saw Mr Punch in England in 1662.
Punch and Judy Professors and Puppeteers from all over the country will be coming to perform throughout the day. Admission is free, and the day will commence at 11AM with a grand procession led by the Superior Brass Band with a birthday toast to Mr Punch for his 351st birthday followed by a special church service at 12PM with the Rev Bill Haslett and Mr Punch in the Pulpit.
From 12:30 to 5:30PM There will be Punch and Judy puppet shows, puppet workshops, stalls, refreshments, folk music by The Lost Marbles String Band, maypole dancing and clowns.
There will be representatives from The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, The Punch and Judy Fellowship, The College of Punch and Judy Professors, The Puppet Centre Trust and The Union Internationale de la Marionette at the event, and stalls run by community groups from all over Westminster and Camden.
Puppeteers, entertainers and Punch and Judy Professors attending will include Bryan Clarke, Geoff Felix, Glyn Edwards, Dan Bishop, Chris Gasper, The Battey Family, John Wood, Mark Poulton, Chris Reed, Paul Wheeler, Randolph the Remarkable, Peter Charlton, Greg Pollone, Maurice Varney, Gingernutt the Clown, Pete Maggs, Fagner Gastaldon, David Leech, Alix Booth, James Bradley, Harvey Wood, Paul Tuck and Les King, Len Belmont, Richard Robinson, Joanne Tremarco, John Thirsby, Gary Trimby, Roger Kent, Salvo, Joseph Peek, Paul Jackson, Dan Slater, David Wilde, Clive Chandler, James Arnott, Adrienne Press, Gary Wilson, Donna Maria’s Maypole Spectacular and The Lost Marbles String Band.
For more information, see www.alternativearts.co.uk.