Puppetry in America is older than the country itself, but until the beginning of the 20th century, puppet shows were rare. Puppeteers kept their art a closely guarded secret, certainly not shared with the public. In the first half of the 20th century, some puppeteers (most notably Tony Sarg) helped to lift the veil of secrecy, sharing information about their work, which led to the formation of the Puppeteers of America in 1937.
In an effort to strengthen recognition of puppetry as a global art form and to align activities with UNIMA-USA, Puppeteers of America has officially merged the National Day of Puppetry with World Puppetry Day, each March 21.
Today, almost three quarters of a century onward, puppets hold a place in the public’s heart that is rivaled by few other arts. They appear on stage, in movies, on television, and now, on the Internet. The Puppeteers of America is proud to present this National Day of Puppetry taking place all over North America and brought to you by the local Puppeteers of America guild in your area.
To locate a Puppeteers of America guild in your area, please visit the Regions & Guilds page for contact information
Also, be sure to download and read the National Day of Puppetry Handbook for all of your World Puppetry Day planning!
Questions, comments, and suggestions may be directed to Dustin Curtis c/o office@puppeteers.org.
Photograph by Deb Badt-Covell
3rd Annual Tally-Ho! Puppet Festival held at the Sparta Civic Center in Sparta Michigan on March 11,2017. Over 100 people of all ages came to enjoy a day of puppetry. Five different styles of puppetry shows, marionettes, ventriloquists, musicians, video production and Christian puppetry. Everyone made a puppet and performed using their hand and imagination.
Sponsored by: West Michigan Puppetry Guild, Sparta Chamber of Commerce, Sparta Cultural Alliance