Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival returns with seaside theme

From giant whales to pirate plays, a puppetry celebration is taking visitors on a journey to the high seas.

Showcasing the art of this intricate craft making is the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival, which has returned with a brand new theme and plenty of family fun.

The free festival, which usually takes place biannually but is back a year early, saw more than 15,000 visitors flock to the town last year to see the space themed installations and puppets.

This October, the festival is going under the sea and will welcome puppet enthusiasts from across the county to marvel at these magnificent designs.

The striking centrepiece of the festival will be an 18 metre long sperm whale, which will house puppet shows inside throughout the day.

The whale and its family-friendly show, Plastic Ocean, aims to highlight the impact of overfishing and waste being pumped into our waters in an interactive, accessible way.

The puppets used during the show, which is presented by Circo Rum Ba Ba, have been designed and created by War Horse puppet master Jimmy Grimes.

The festival will also feature Iso, an ancient deep-sea isopod puppet more than seven metres long, and Ocho, an inflatable octopus with eight independently moving tentacles.

You can also get involved in arts, crafts and theatre workshops and meet characters such as pirates, seahorses and mermaids.

There will be fresh seafood, as well as an array of food and drink, available to purchase.

The Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival takes place on Saturday, October 15 from 12pm to 5pm at Calverley Grounds. The festival is free to attend and booking is not necessary.