Puppet Pageant Performances This Weekend!
NEW YORK MILLS, MN, August 15, 2024—The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center invites the public to the 15th annual Kalevala Puppet Pageant public performances on Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17, 2024.
The Puppet Pageant is a large-scale street-theater style performance. Each year, an original play is written by Creative Director Anne Sawyer based on characters and tales from the Kalevala, the Finnish book of legends. Community members take on the roles of mythical Finnish creatures in the final narrated play.
Daily workshops, build sessions, and rehearsals have been running since August 5th with a great group of local creatives of all ages. The Puppet Pageant is produced by the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, and led by Creative Director Anne Sawyer of Minneapolis, Assistant Director Lisa Winter of Wadena, Tara Fahey of Minneapolis, Musical Directors Curtis & Loretta, an award-winning duo from Minneapolis, and local musician Adam Tervola Hultberg.
Audience members have two opportunities to see the Pageant: first at the NYM VFW Post 3289 (following the NYM Civic & Commerce Corn Feed) on Friday, August 16 at 7:00 p.m., and the second at Finn Creek Open Air Museum (during Finn Creek Summer Festival) on Saturday, August 17 at 12:00 p.m. Both performances are free to see, family-friendly, and open to all; there is a gate donation of $5/adult to get into Finn Creek Festival on Saturday.
Call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 with questions or to donate. All contributions are appreciated and necessary to bring this vibrant community project to life. A big thank you goes out to all the businesses and individuals who have donated or contributed in some way to help bring the Pageant to life.
This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Culture Heritage Fund.
Learn more: https://www.kulcher.org/2024-kalevala-puppet-pageant/
About the Cultural Center The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. The Center offers visitors intimate opportunities to encounter art and artists in its 80-seat concert listening room, visual art gallery in a historic building, gift store featuring local artists, artist residency program, sculpture park, and a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Since its incorporation in 1990, the Cultural Center has been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world. For more information, call 218-385-3339, or visit www.kulcher.org.
