A celebration of outdoor puppetry and collective place-making presented by Sandglass Theater and Retreat Farm

Including a two week workshop in building giant lantern puppets, an evening of puppetry in shadow and light, and a two day festival of top caliber artists specializing in short form puppetry.

Giant Lantern Puppet Workshop, September 30th- October 10th @ Sandglass Theater

Opening Evening of Shadow and Light, October 10th @ Retreat Farm

Puppets in Paradise 10am-4pm, October 11th and 12th, 2025 @ Retreat Farm

Puppets in Paradise brings together artists and audiences for a two-day celebration of puppetry and theater arts set in the beautiful agrarian landscape of Southern Vermont. The 2025 edition of Puppets in Paradise will be during peak foliage celebrating Vermont’s most famous and colorful season. This premier biennial family event is produced in collaboration with Retreat Farm, a prominent feature of the Brattleboro landscape for 180 years. At Puppets in Paradise audiences will walk around the farm and encounter short-form puppet performances, theater artists and musicians amidst the fields, historic barns and animals. Food and refreshments from local vendors add to the delight of a beautiful day.  This year’s program will also feature a special community Giant Lantern Puppetry Project with Master Puppet Builder, Andrew Kim, and an evening of outdoor shadow puppetry in the ancient Indian tradition of deerskin puppets lit by coconut oil lamps.

This year’s weekend festival welcomes an exciting roster of first-time and returning performers including Heather Henson, Puppet Motion, Andrew Kim, recent graduate of UConn Masters in Puppetry Arts Program, Tom Tuke, and Sandglass Theater, among others.

Puppets in Paradise is sponsored by Landmark College, Oak Meadow, M&T Bank, and Guilford Sound.