Last August,2006, the second annual Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival was a huge success with almost double the crowd! Watch for news of the upcoming festival on August 11 and 12 of 2007. It’s a unique family event well worth attending and one which celebrates the art of puppetry. Ten professional puppetry troupes decend on Almonte to entertain with exceptional puppets. The event centers on the historic main street of Almonte, which comes alive with clowns, buskers, musicians, dancers, parades, and—of course—puppets! Noreen Young was instrumental in the conception and organization of the first Puppets Up! festival in 2005. The highly successful inaugural event drew over 5,000 visitors of all ages from across the region. Noreen continues to help drive the artistic vision for the festival. She is working with puppeteers and embassies from around the world to make Puppets Up! highly entertaining. One of Noreen’s key goals for the festival is to make it a long-term, self-sustaining, world-class arts event that enriches the local cultural and business communities. She is part of a top-notch executive team of volunteers who organize and run the festival. During the festival itself, another 250+ volunteers from Almonte—representing over 5% of the town’s total population—help to ensure that the event runs smoothly and visitors have a great time. To learn more about the Puppets Up! festival, see the festival web site at www.puppetsup.ca. You can also contact Noreen directly to discuss how you can help with Puppets Up!