The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry to Present BUGSY AND FRIENDS

As part of its 2021 Fall Saturday Puppet Show Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will present Bugsy and Friends by John McDonough's Pumpernickel Puppets of Worcester, Massachusetts on Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. ET in Betsy Paterson Square. This show will be socially distanced and follow Town of Mansfield and UConn safety guidelines. In the event of inclement weather, the show will be performed on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. ET. A suggested donation of $12 per household is encouraged. This performance is co-sponsored by the Mansfield Downtown Partnership, Inc. We invite the audience to attend in their Halloween costumes and stick around for Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Storrs from 3-5 p.m.

Join Bugsy and his puppet friends for a musical variety show featuring hand, string, and life-size puppets. A puppet-making demonstration is included during the performance. This fun and interactive show is appropriate for children of all ages.

For nearly forty years the Pumpernickel Puppets have captivated audiences of all ages with humorous and colorful adaptations of classic folk and fairy tales. Worcester-based puppeteer John McDonough and his puppets present over two hundred fifty shows a year at schools, libraries and private parties throughout the New England area.

This outdoor performance will take place in Betsy Paterson Square; reservations are not required. Chairs will not be provided, so groups are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs. Seating space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To comply with UConn safety guidelines, masks are required at all times for all attendees and staff ages two and up. For safety, six feet of space will be required between seated family groups. Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance and exit of the seating area.

We invite all attendees to come in their Halloween costumes to parade around Betsy Paterson Square after the show! There will be a Halloween mask-making activity outside the Ballard Institute from 1-2 p.m., first come, first served. Stick around for Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Storrs from 3-5 p.m. For safety during the event, the following roads will be closed from 2-5:30 p.m.: Dog Lane, Royce Circle, Bolton Road Extension, Wilbur Cross Way, and West Access Road. There will be no parking on these roads from 12-6 p.m. The Downtown Storrs Parking Garage will be open as normal during this event. To access the garage, please follow Charles Smith Way to Wilbur Cross Way then Elsie Marsh Way to Royce Circle. Learn more about Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Storrs: downtownstorrs.org/halloween.

For more information, or if you require accommodation to attend this event, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu.

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