Loisaida Parade and Pageant Workshops
Junktown Duende
Join Junktown Duende for 3 weeks of free workshops, open to the public! They are creating costumes, masks, giant puppets, installations and performances. Workshops are held in a spirit of radical inclusion, and all ages, races, genders, abilities, and talents are welcome. Join professional puppeteers and celebration artists and work side by side with adults, children, and neighbors of all skill levels and abilities, to create amazing, giant, beautiful puppets and performances.
Puppets, masks and costumes are made out of recycled and garbage materials, such as cardboard, bicycle inner tubes, scraps of fabric, and various weird found junk. The detritus of society will be transformed into mind boggling and beautiful creations!
The workshops culminate in a weekend of free performances in two different community gardens in the Lower East Side on May 25th, and the Loisaida Parade and Pageant on May 26th. The parade and all the performances celebrate Lower East Side history, immigrant culture, and the community gardens. Stop by the open studio for more information about how to get involved!
Additional Events (venues vary, check locations carefully)
- Loisaida Smorgasbord Cabaret at the Loisaida Center, 710 E 9th St (at ave C)
Friday, May 10th, 6-10 pm (puppet shows start at 8pm!)
Not-to-be-missed puppet & performance cabaret, art show and screening Fundraiser for our free activities, suggested donation $10-$15, no one turned away for lack of funds! - Free Garden Celebrations
Puppets, performance, and cute kids tell the stories of the gardens!
Saturday, May 25th, 1 pm- 3 pm – at Children’s Magical Garden (Stanton & Norfolk)
Saturday, May 25th, 3:15 – 5:30 pm – at El Jardín del Paraíso (E 4th between C & D) - The Loisaida Festival Parade & Pageant
Sunday, May 26th, 11 am – 4 pm. Parade starts on E 12 St & Ave C at 11 am. The pageant is at 4 pm on E 6th St & Ave C.
More about Junktown Duende
Junktown Duende is a team of celebration artists, puppeteers, costume makers, street performers and secular ritualists who travel around the world making parades, pageants and puppets shows. They specialize in working with communities to tell their particular stories.
Members Include
Daniel Polnau; National Treasure and showman extraordinaire from Minneapolis.
Daniela Fabrizi; itinerant costume guru & genius of textiles, working in NYC, Mexico City, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and beyond!
Pablillo Jose Varona Borges; puppeteer, community organizer, radical farmer, and artist of experimental life from the very magical Casa Mucaro in Puerto Rico.
Paola Michelle; dancer, maker of things and shows, multi-talented sparkly person, and hero!
Alex Millan; how the hell can someone so young be the best juggler, clown, teacher, and all around big-hearted darling that we know?
Adam Ende; founder and janitor of Jawbone Puppet Theater, loves to make shows and things with you, and generally make things happen in the world that boggle your minds with magic and wonder!
Cielo; super cute baby artist, naughty person and winner of all hearts!
