The Punch Booth

42ND Annual
COVENT GARDEN MAY FAYRE and PUPPET FESTIVAL
Celebrating Mr Punch’s 355th Anniversary
Sunday 14 May 2017

St Paul’s Church Garden, Bedford Street, WC2.

(Covent Garden or Leicester Square tube)





Dear Friends,



Here are the final details of the 42nd Annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival, to be held in honour of Mr Punch's 354th birthday, on Sunday 14th May 2017, in St Paul's Church Gardens, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9 ED.



11am - Assemble for the Grand Procession around the neighbourhood.

12noon - Special Church Service with Mr Punch in the Pulpit.

12.30 to 5.30pm - Continuous performances of Punch and Judy and Puppet Shows plus workshops, stalls, folk music and dancing.



We will be at the church to meet you from 9am.

Please enter the garden via the main entrance on Bedford Street. Pitches are allocated on a first come first served basis. Please spread yourselves out between the two greens on either side of the garden & in the church courtyards to avoid overcrowding, there is plenty of room and lots of time. You may do as many shows as you like during the day and, of course, you may bottle as much as you like.



Refreshments are available for all performers in the church foyer and we’ll try to make a contribution towards your travelling expenses in the UK, provided that you perform and are not selling items.



Please note that there are no parking restrictions in Covent Garden at the weekends and that there are car parks on Drury Lane and Shelton Street WC2.



Please remember that this is a performance festival dedicated to the art of puppetry.

If you wish to sell any items at all they must be directly concerned with puppetry and sold from a small stall at the side of your booth, not in front. People come from far and wide to see your performances and our policy is to retain the unique quality of this non-commercial event which we started in 1976 specifically to promote puppetry and commemorate the first sighting of Mr Punch in Covent Garden in May 1662.



Please let us know if you are coming if you have not done so already. We are looking forward to the May Fayre and hopefully the sun will shine.






Best Wishes from Maggie Pinhorn and Amy Dyke-Coomes

(on behalf of the May Fayre Committee).



Please reply to The May Fayre Committee

c/o Alternative Arts, 530A Commercial Road, London E1 0HY

e-mail: info@alternativearts.co.uk Tel: 020 8800 6665

Well I'm getting excited, how about you?
At the moment I am enjoying performing in this dreadful Easter weather, 4 shows a day at Tatton Park in Cheshire. I have paused my own season at The Harlequin Puppet Theatre for this four day's of Punch. I only hope the May 14th weekend is kinder weatherwise. Last year we were blessed with belting weather on the Sunday so every reason to hope for something similar. But I remember one May Faire a few years back which was pretty wet (so wet that I bought an umbrella at London prices) yet it didn't deter the punters nor the performers. It was a hugely enjoyable day anyway.
This really is super event and not to be missed.
Will you be there?

Yes, I'll be there too. And looking forward to it.

I know Chris Drewitt has painted another superb Roselia proscenium, which will be being unveiled that day. And I'm sure there will be a few more surprises too.

It's always a great day, I wouldn't miss it.

Just got a copy of this year's flyer