AND PUPPET FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 8 MAY 2016
ST PAUL’S CHURCH GARDEN, BEDFORD STREET, WC2
Dear Friends
We have great pleasure in inviting you to attend the 41st Annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival to be held this year on Sunday 8 May 2016 to celebrate Mr Punch's 354th birthday near the very spot that Samuel Pepys first saw Mr Punch in England in May 1662.
The May Fayre will take place in the garden of St Paul’s Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2. The day will start with a Grand Procession at 11am led by the Superior Brass Band, followed by the Special Church Service at 12noon, and performances from 12.30 until 5.30pm. We are hoping for lots of sun and friendly crowds again this year.
We will be at the church to meet you from 9am. Pitches will be allocated on a first come first served basis and you may give as many performances as you wish during the day - bring a bottler! All kinds of puppeteers and performers are welcome.
The Church continues to charge us £300 to use their premises, so any help you can give us towards this would be greatly appreciated.
Please write to us as soon as possible and let us know if you can come so that we know how many Puppeteers and Professors to cater for. We will try to make a contribution towards the UK traveling expenses of all those who actually perform, and provide you with refreshments during the day. Please note that we cannot pay for any overnight accommodation or travel from abroad. Also please remember that if you intend to sell any items this must be done at the side of your booth, not in front, and that the things you sell must be puppet-related. We do not expect to pay travel expenses to those actually selling goods. The Festival is to celebrate the Art of Puppetry. It is entirely run by volunteers and is not a commercial enterprise.
Please note that the cost of sending out all the invitation letters by post has become prohibitive so please send us your email address if you have not already done so.
We are looking forward to seeing you all again at 41st annual gathering, and we hope to hear from you very soon.
With best wishes from Maggie Pinhorn, Amy Dyke-Coomes and the May Fayre Committee.
Please reply to The May Fayre Committee
c/o Alternative Arts, Montefiore Centre, Hanbury St, E1 5HZ
Tel 020 8800 6665 email info@alternativearts.co.uk
