The New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival is back next Thursday through Monday (April 9–13), ready to fill the Bywater and Marigny with towering puppets, hands-on workshops and not one but two neighborhood processions. Over five packed days, the fest blends family matinees, late-night puppet slams and panel discussions, with organizers saying dozens of local, national and international companies will pop up in small theaters, courtyards and even outdoor alleys. If you like a parade that blurs the line between spectator and performer, this one openly encourages costumes and, for the crafty, homemade giant puppets.
According to the New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival, performances run April 9–13 at venues mapped from the Mudlark Public Theatre to the Marigny Opera House and the New Marigny Theatre. The site lays out a detailed venue map and full lineup so you can choreograph exactly which indoor shows and outdoor processions you want to catch.
As reported by Gambit, this year’s edition features more than 40 companies and performers, plus workshops and a panel discussion. Gambit also notes that organizers will run a daytime box office at St. Coffee from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the festival, then shift box office operations into the New Marigny Theatre lobby from 6 to 9 p.m. on opening night. Printed programs, tickets, passes and merch will all be available at the box office.
What to see
The lineup leans into spectacle. Highlights include Plantain Futures’ new work Butter Woman and the Mudlark Puppeteers’ companion pieces "Cinderella" and "Charlie" at the New Marigny, Oracle Puppets’ Octopus Dreams at Den of Muses, and a grand outdoor Dream Show from Mutual Obsession Circus in Architect Alley, according to the New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival. The festival also brings back troupes like Velvet Effigy, Toybox Theatre, Poose Productions, Abandoned Ships and Flutterbug, and the event has secured support from foundations including the Jim Henson Foundation.
Parades and how to join
As reported by Gambit, the festival will roll out two processions. A late-night parade steps off at 10 p.m. on Saturday, with participants lining up at Plessy Park at Press and Dauphine. On Sunday, a daytime Dream It, Be It parade gathers at noon at the same park. The Saturday procession is expected to feature giant puppets from festival artists along with members of the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus and the Krewe of Mayahuel, and organizers invite the public to bring their own puppets. Anyone looking to join with a float or musical group is asked to contact the festival in advance to coordinate a spot in the lineup.
Tickets, box office and where to go
Individual tickets and festival passes are available through the festival’s ticketing pages and at on-site box offices. The New Marigny Theatre lists the April 9–13 run on its events calendar and serves as a hub for several headline shows. If you are planning to jump into a parade or stay up for a late-night puppet slam, check venue pages and the festival schedule for any last-minute updates and box office hours before heading out.
Pandora Gastelum, who founded the Giant Puppet Festival and continues to lead it, runs the operation out of Mudlark Public Theatre. Whether you arrive with a giant puppet, a horn or just comfortable walking shoes, expect the Bywater and Marigny to be humming with music, light and moving art next week.
