March 21 - World Puppetry Day

Happy World Puppetry Day! Every year on March 21, today seeks to recognize any and all puppetry as a global art form. It’s also a day to honor puppeteers around the world. 

You are probably familiar with puppets. If you’re like most people, you have probably seen a puppeteer in action. 

You may have even played with a puppet yourself. You may be surprised to discover, however, just how old the art of puppetry is.  

Puppets date all the way back to the 5th century BCE. China, India, and other places in Asia even had puppet theaters. Native Americans also used puppet-like figures in certain rituals. 

In 1929, the Union Internationale de la Marionnette – International Puppetry Association (UNIMA) was created in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). In the United States, puppeteers kept their art a secret.  

However, it wasn’t until the first half of the 20th century that puppeteers began sharing more information about their work. They also began holding public puppet shows.  

This was largely thanks to German American puppeteer and illustrator Anthony Frederick Sarg, known professionally as Tony Sarg), a famous puppeteer at that time.  

When puppets became public, it led to the founding of the Puppeteers of American in 1937. In 1966, Jim Henson founded UNIMA-USA. UNIMA Australia, UMIMA Pakistan, British UNIMA, and UNIMA-France followed suit. 

Today, puppets are everywhere. Not just in the United States, but around the world. Puppets can be seen on stage, on television, and in the movies. 
 
Some of the most famous puppets include: 

• • Pinocchio 

• • Punch and Judy 

• • Howdy Doody 

• • Lamb Chop 

• • Kermit the Frog 

• • Elmo 

• • Daniel Striped Tiger 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

 
 The most popular events on this day are, of course, puppet shows! 

To participate: 

• 
  

  • Help your children make their own puppets. 

• • Gather your toy puppets together and put on a puppet show of your own. 

• • Learn about famous puppeteers like Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Bil Baird, Fred Rogers and Shari Lewis 

• • Watch TV shows and movies featuring puppets including The Muppets, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, and Alf. 

Don’t forget to share your favorite puppet on social media with #WorldPuppetryDay. 

 
HISTORY 

 
Iranian puppet theater artist Javad Zolfaghari came up with the idea for World Puppetry Day. He proposed a discussion for the day in the year 2000 during the UNIMA World Congress.  

 
In 2002, UNIMA declared March 21 as World Puppetry Day. The first official World Puppetry Day was held on March 21, 2003. 

 
Can you think of a famous puppet(s) that you grew up watching on television or saw in the movies? 

#WoldPuppetryDay 

@WorldPuppetryDay 

@unima.internationale 

@muppets 

@SesameStreet 

@TVNeighbor 

@AlfMovieOfficial 

@nichecinema