The West Liberty Children’s Festival, sponsored by Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre, is set for Saturday, Sept. 16.
The festival starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 3 p.m. on Third and Calhoun Street in downtown West Liberty.
“We’ve had great community support. Also, the festival is unique because it includes a puppet mini-festival which attracts puppeteers and puppet aficionados,” said Monica Leo, founding member of Eulenspiegel Puppet Theater in West Liberty..
This year’s festival will include a puppetry mini-festival, featuring performances by Corcoran Puppets from Wisconsin; Blaqueberry Puppets from St. Louis; Matthew Owens from Chicago; Fever River Puppets from Wisconsin; and of course Eulenspiegel Puppets.
The street performers include Absolute Science with Big Bang Bubbles; giant puppets by Brant Bollman from Oskaloosa; Kalimbaman and the Yahoo Drummers, musicians; face painter, Linda Kelty; and Living Creations, balloon twisters.
These are a few puppets Matthew Owens has made for his performances.
Facebook users may remember Chicago puppeteer Matthew Owens for the shows he did out of his second-story window in Chicago during the pandemic.
“I’ve never met Matthew Owens,” Leo said. “I learned about him when I saw his videos on Facebook during the pandemic, and I discovered we have a mutual friend in Iowa City. We hired him along with the other puppeteers who are performing.”The festival also offers food, beverages, a Mexican market, a tiny train, a performance by a local mariachi band, and a host of children’s games and activities. Performances will take place in Ron-de-Voo Park, which is downtown in West Liberty on Third Street.
Street activities will feature a large roster of games and make-and-take crafts, including bubble stations, a giant sandbox, face painting, easel painting, puppet making, and many other crafts and activities. To keep hunger at bay, attendees can
feast on Mexican delicacies, Lugo’s kettle corn, Mexican ice cream bars (paletas), and other goodies. Chinese, American, and Mexican restaurants will be open for festivalgoers to enjoy.
The West Liberty Children’s Festival is supported by the Ryan Trust, Edward Jones-Financial Advisor: Sara Sedlacek (stage sponsor), and many generous local donors including Bill and Jan Koellner, Liberty Communications, Simpson Memorial
Home, West Liberty Rotary Club, Craig Jones Trucking, Mike and Gwen Kessler, Gretchen Nollman, and Yolanda’s Salon. It’s sponsored by Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Company.
For further information about the Festival, please call 627-2487 or e-mail <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>.
After the Children’s Festival, Fiesta Latina will take over downtown. Some of the performers for this event include Guardianes del Amor, Ballet Folklorico, Grupo Ritual and Norvli. This event starts at 3 p.m. and will go until 10 p.m. There is no entrance fee and will take place on the same streets as the Children’s Festival did.
