The Spark Children’s Arts Festival launched its brilliant new brochure on Friday April 9th with a spectacular afternoon of free puppetry fun for kids at Highcross Leicester.

Visitors found the Lower Mall transformed with ‘Puppetry Applenty’ to mark the arrival of this year’s Spark brochure.

A fantastically fun afternoon of puppetry performances and workshops between 12.30pm and 5pm was experienced by hundreds. Children enjoyed traditional marionettes, sock puppetry, booth shows and innovative performances for one at a time.

The wonderfully quirky Pushmi-Pullyu delighted youngsters as it wandered around Highcross going nowhere fast! But the highlight of the day was the incredible giant puppet ‘Little O’ which children had been making and decorating since Wednesday.

She was brought to life for a magical musical parade around the Lower Mall, followed by a crowd of children and families. Keep an eye out for ‘Little O’ because she will be travelling to Spark events during the Festival. She will be making her first appearance at Babyfest at De Montfort Hall which kicks off The Spark fun on bank holiday Monday, May 31st.

The Spark’s Festival Director Ellen Bianchini was thrilled with the launch event.

“The launch was a great afternoon of fun for all the family and a wonderful way to announce that The Spark is back for 2010. This year’s Festival is more exciting than ever and now that the brochure is available, children and their parents can start planning their Spark. Thank you to Highcross for supporting the event and making it such a big success!”

The Spark returns to Leicestershire between May 31st and June 13th with a feast of theatre, music, dance, puppetry, sculpture, singing and poetry. For more information or to get hold of a brochure, visit www.sparkfestival.co.uk or call 0116 261 6893.