Covent Garden May Fayre And Puppet Festival

On Sunday 11 May 2014 the 39th 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 352nd birthday.

Programme is as follows:-

11am - GRAND PROCESSION around the neighbourhood of Covent Garden starting in the Church garden, led by the Superior Brass Band with a birthday toast to Mr Punch by the commemorative plaque on the church wall in the Piazza.

12noon - SPECIAL CHURCH SERVICE with the Rev Simon Buckley and Mr Punch in the Pulpit.

12.30pm to 5.30pm - PUNCH AND JUDY & PUPPET SHOWS, Puppet Workshops, Stalls, Refreshments, 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 the Food Chain.