On Sunday 12 May 2024 the much-loved Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet festival will present its 49th edition, with a day full of performances. The event takes place 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. All are invited to come and enjoy the shows and celebrate the art of puppetry on Mr Punch’s 362nd Birthday.
ADMISSION IS FREE and the programme is as follows:
11am – GRAND PROCESSION around the neighbourhood of Covent Garden starting from 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 Central Piazza.
12noon – SPECIAL CHURCH SERVICE with Mr Punch in the Pulpit.
12.30pm to 5.30pm – PUNCH AND JUDY & PUPPET SHOWS , Puppet Workshops, Clowns, Stalls, Refreshments, Folk Music and Maypole Dancing.
The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, The Punch and Judy Fellowship & The Punch and Judy Club will all be represented. There will be stalls run by community organisations and the Covent Garden Community Association, and refreshments provided by the Food Chain who are raising funds to help provide nutritional support for people living with HIV in London.
Punch and Judy Professors and Entertainers attending include:
Prof Bryan Clarke, Geoff Felix, Alix Booth, David Wilde, Paul Goddard, Jose Navarro (Spain),Mehdi Ouzerie (France), Damien Weiss (France), Chris Gasper, James Arnott, Clown Gingernutt, Glyn Edwards, Joseph Peek, Clive Chandler, Richard Robinson, Dan Slater, Paul Jackson, Richard Coombs, Will Cousins, James Holz, Tony Heales, Philip Dann, Paul Wheeler, Martin Bridle, Jamie Riding, Gary Wilson, Martyn Cooper, Peter Dann, Gary Trimby, Tony Liddington, Spike Liddington , Compagnie Les Marionnettes en Joi (France), Jake Eiseman-Reynard, Daniel Hanton, Jester Jim, The Fools Puppet Theatre Companie, John Mckenna, Joe Burns, Tony Robanti, Mark Poulton, Ronnie Le Drew, Dean Blunkell, Prof Patel, Paul & Kathie Jackson, Teddy Cordon, Prof Philips, Ben Hasker, Teddy Saberton, Tony Bradshaw, Josh Neville, Jo Hadley, Emosh Puppets, Party Puppets, and many more.
