IBEX Puppetry Comes to Squam Lakes Natural Science Center Saturday

HOLDERNESS — IBEX Puppetry is coming to New Hampshire for their only New England show this fall. Squam Lakes Natural Science Center will host Festival of Flight, which is all about the wonders of flight and migration on Saturday, September 8. IBEX Puppetry will perform Celebration of Flight three times during the festival at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 8.

Celebration of Flight was designed by Heather Henson (daughter of Muppet creator Jim Henson) and is interactive for the audience. In the performance, giant dragonflies, cranes, and the spirits of the air will descend to Earth when called by drums and noisemakers played by the audience.

As part of the performance, families will play music, fly kites, and dance alongside the creatures that fill our sky. In the Celebration of Flight story, the intangible spirits of wind guide a young crane to its destiny. Unifying concepts of dance, kite, and puppet movement with themes of seasonal movement and the Earth's energy flow.

Celebration of Flight is the latest of Heather Henson's environmental spectacles. Awarded "Best Show" at the 21st UNIMA Congress & World Puppetry Festival in Chengdu, China in June of this year, the show features puppets, kites, and flags both from independent artists as well as the Jim Henson Creature Shop and Guildworks. During Festival of Flight, participants are invited to make a kite at the IBEX Puppetry craft table beginning at 9:30 a.m. and then fly their kites during a performance.

"We are very lucky to have this incredible performance come to the Science Center," said Iain MacLeod, Executive Director of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. "It will be fun to see the audience interaction during the shows."

The day-long Festival of Flight also features live animal presentations, a hawk migration watch, interactive migration activities, and (for an additional fee) tethered hot air balloon rides. All of the Festival of Flight activities (except for the balloon ride) are included in the regular Science Center trail admission. For more information go to www.nhnature.org or call 603-968-7194.