COVENT GARDEN MAY FAYRE
AND PUPPET FESTIVAL
Sunday 8 May 2011
St. Paul´s Church Garden, Bedford Street WC2
(Covent Garden or Leicester Square tube)
PRESS RELEASE
On Sunday 8 May 2011 the 36th Annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival
will be held in the garden of St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, London,WC2 - the actors' church
- near the spot where Samuel Pepys first saw Mr Punch in England in May 1662. Punch and
Judy Professors and Puppeteers from all over the country will be coming to perform throughout
the day. We invite everyone to come and enjoy the shows and celebrate the art of puppetry on
Mr Punch's 349th birthday.
ADMISSION IS FREE and the programme is as follows:-
10.30am GRAND PROCESSION around the neighbourhood of Covent Garden starting in
the church garden, led by the Superior Brass Band with a toast to Mr Punch by the
commemorative plaque on the church wall in the Piazza.
11.30am to PUNCH AND JUDY & PUPPET SHOWS, Puppet Workshops, Stalls,
5.30pm Folk Music by The Lost Marbles String Band, Maypole Dancing & Clowns.
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 will all be represented. There will be stalls run by community groups from all over
Westminster and Camden together with the Covent Garden Community Association, and
refreshments provided by Coffee Affair and the Food Chain.
PUNCH AND JUDY PROFESSORS, PUPPETEERS AND ENTERTAINERS ATTENDING
INCLUDE: Professors Geoff Felix, Bryan Clarke, Paul Tuck & Les King, Bill Haslett, Mark Andrews,
Justin Tai, Paul Jackson, Julie Peek, Joseph Peek, Jonathan Young, Glyn Edwards, Dennis Patten,
Gary Wilson, James Arnott, Clive Chandler, Alix Booth, Chris Gasper, Pete Maggs, David Wilde,
Adrienne Press, Mark Poulton, Gingernutt the Clown, Jim Barnard, Richard Robinson, Randolph the
Remarkable, Gaeten Boyer, James Bradley, Salvo, Len Belmont, Peter Charlton, English Toy Theatre
Co, Ossie McLean, Lord Pandrum, Emosh Puppets, Rough Magic Theatre, Fairly Fresh Fish Co, The
Lost Marbles String Band, Donna Maria´s Maypole Spectacular and probably many more………
In 2012 we will be celebrating the 350th birthday of Mr Punch on 12 & 13 May.
For further information contact the May Fayre Committee on 020 7375 0441.
c/o Alternative Arts, Top Studio, Montefiore Centre, Hanbury St. E1 5HZ
email: info@alternativearts.co.uk website: www.alternativearts.co.uk
Next year's major event will be Alternative Arts Puppet Festival known as the May Fayre. This event is held in St. Paul's Churchyard (This church, St. Paul's, Covent Garden has long connections with Punch & Judy)
