HISTORY OF NATIONAL DAY OF PUPPETRY

Eugene Lambert was a man with a vision, and passion for puppetry. Also known as the father of Irish puppetry, he owned the Lambert Puppet Theater in Monkstown, Dublin. He was only eight years old when he created his first puppet and became an expert ventriloquist in his teenage years. A lot of modern puppetry stems from Lambert’s work.

Till the 20th century, puppets were an enigma. Mystifying and entertaining crowds, no one knew just how the puppets performed so seamlessly, This changed when some puppeteers, notably Tony Sarg, started revealing the secrets behind puppets, and widely sharing the information about puppeteers. This led to the creation of the Puppeteers of America in 1937. Fast forward to the present time, and puppets continue to have a foothold in entertainment that is unparalleled. They continue to be a staple in theater, stage performances, and movies, and even appear in memes.

The National Day of Puppetry has been observed annually since 1999 on the fourth Saturday in April. The day is spearheaded and presented by the Puppeteers of America. The idea for a yearly celebration was pitched to a presidents’ guild by Carol Fijan at one of the festivals hosted by the Puppeteers of America. She envisioned a day when puppets would grace every street and spread joy through their lively antics.