This summer, Nottingham’s city centre is set to come alive as the Nottingham Puppet Festival takes over on Saturday, June 27 (10.30am–4.30pm), transforming familiar streets into a buzzing trail of free performances, interactive workshops and larger-than-life characters.
Expect a whistle-stop trail of activity weaving through Albert Street and Listergate, with pop-up shows, interactive workshops and larger-than-life walkabout acts popping up at every turn. It’s all completely free, and cleverly designed so you can dip in and out as you wander.
The festival’s City Centre Day—put together by City Arts and the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall with backing from It’s in Nottingham—is all about bringing world-class puppetry out of the theatre and onto the streets. Think big characters, bold visuals and storytelling that works for toddlers, teens and grown-ups alike.
And the lineup? Proper show-stopping stuff. Keep your eyes peeled for a giant Mountain Hare bounding down Listergate, while Old Market Square becomes home to towering Worker and Queen Bees (yes, four metres tall) alongside the brilliantly bonkers Wild Beasts of Silly. Look up and you might even spot Kantaben the Roller Bird gliding above the crowds.
Over at the Library Plaza, things get a little more magical. Here you’ll meet Daniel—an eight-foot figure crafted from willow and recycled plastic bottles—as part of the poetic Walk of the Dandelion. Families can roll up their sleeves at a free drop-in workshop, making woolly dandelions and sharing feel-good messages to add to the installation.
There’s plenty for younger audiences too, from the gentle storytelling of Penny and the Far Thing—performed on an actual penny-farthing bike—to HandMade Theatre’s Puppet Petting Farm, packed with charming creatures built from recycled materials.
If you’re keen to go deeper, Nottingham Central Library hosts a puppetry exhibition, while Nottingham Playhouse joins in with its own open weekend display. There are also ticketed shows for those wanting the full theatre experience, including Summer in Bloom (Playhouse) and Robin Hood and His Animal Friends at the Theatre Royal.
In short: it’s a full day of colour, creativity and slightly surreal street theatre that transforms familiar city spots into something a bit more magical. Download the It’s in Nottingham app if you want to plot pit stops between shows—or just follow the crowds (and the giant puppets).
Head to nottinghampuppetfestival.co.uk for the full lineup and timings.
