Colourful characters including a mischievous troll, a mysterious woodland creature and a pack of chaotic beasts are taking over a North East seaside town as part of a free family festival this weekend.
The puppet folk will be surprising visitors in Saltburn during the Saltburn Folk Festival, taking place from August 7 to 9, as part of the newly expanded Valley Woods Family Festival – a programme of free family activities designed to introduce families to folk arts.
Georgia Hill, a North East puppet maker who has created puppets for CBeebies and the West End, is behind the characters Trolliver and Merkel.
Ms Hill said: "I love creating characters that feel as though they belong in the landscape around us.
"Merkel grew from my fascination with local woodlands and the idea of blending fantasy with reality.
"There’s something so magical about it.
"I’m also such a lover of bright colours, bold characters, and humour – Trolliver embodies all of those things.
"He is full of personality and has a habit of turning up when you least expect him.
"I can’t wait to see how families react when they encounter the puppets in Saltburn."
Trolliver, described as a bridge-dwelling rascal, will appear around Valley Woods and other locations in Saltburn, while Merkel will feature in Woodland Creatures workshops aimed at inspiring children to create their own characters.
Another highlight is the Wild Beasts of Silly, a group of playful creatures created by artist Jo Feijó of Made by Raccoons.
Jo said: "The Wild Beasts have travelled from their own very silly dimension and are still trying to work out how our world operates.
"They are curious, chaotic and fascinated by absolutely everything – even bins, bushes and small steps.
"The real fun comes from children and families helping them make sense of Saltburn and joining in with their games and fun.
"It gives people a playful and exciting route into folk arts, which is such a positive thing."
The Valley Woods Family Festival is a newly expanded part of this year’s Saltburn Folk Festival, offering a programme of free events and activities aimed at families, with the aim of showing that folk festivals are about so much more than concerts.
Elinor Creaby-Attwood, Saltburn Folk Festival’s artistic director, said: "Folk is about storytelling, and it encompasses the tales we tell, the characters we create, the things we make, and the traditions passed between the generations.
"It’s wonderful to now have the free Family Festival at Valley Woods, with a programme of activities where children can make, play, listen, imagine and encounter characters in a beautiful part of Saltburn.
"One of the highlights of the festival for me is absolutely the roaming puppet performances.
"I love puppetry and I think this will bring real joy to people of all ages."
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Families are encouraged to take photos with the characters and share them on social media, tagging Saltburn Folk Festival and using #SaltburnFolk.
While weekend tickets for the main festival have sold out, all Valley Woods Family Festival events, puppet appearances, bandstand concerts, dance displays and pop-up performances around the town are free and do not require a ticket unless otherwise stated.
For the full programme or last-minute updates visit www.saltburnfolkfestival.com/family-festival.
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