EVENT LINK: https://www.kulcher.org/2025-kalevala-puppet-pageant/

FEE:
Workshops: The cost to participate in the two weeks of workshops and two performances is $50/child with a $100 max per family. Scholarships are available; no one will be turned away based on inability to pay. Parent volunteerism is always appreciated! Teens and adults participate for FREE! Grants, donors, and sponsorship support make this possible.

Performances: Friday’s performance at the VFW is free to attend. For the Saturday performance, there is a $5/adult gate donation (children under 16 free) to get into Finn Creek Festival. Freewill donations will be collected at both performances to help cover the costs of this enriching community experience.

2025 Kalevala Puppet Pageant

16th Annual Community Theater
Workshops begin Mon, Aug 4, 2025!
TWO Public Performances:
Friday 8/15/25 @ NYM Corn Feed
Saturday 8/16/25 @ Finn Creek Fest

The Puppet Pageant is an original large-scale street theater play based on stories from the Finnish national epic poem, the Kalevala, written and narrated by Creative Director Anne Sawyer, and performed by youth and community members from the New York Mills region.

This annual community theater program brings people together to learn a wide variety of artistic skills including acting and stilt-walking, plus learn about Finnish culture and heritage, and make connections with fellow community members and artists.

In 2025, there will be two public performances of the Kalevala Puppet Pageant:

• Friday, August 15 @ 7pm @ NYM VFW Post 3289 during NYM Civic & Commerce Corn Feed

• Saturday, August 16 @ 12pm @ Finn Creek Open Air Museum during Finn Creek Festival

Daily workshops for participants begin on Monday, August 4, 2025; see details below. 

Be Part of the Show!

Adults and youth ages 5 & up (children under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult or older sibling) are invited to participate. There are two weeks of workshops beginning August 4, 2025, leading up to the culminating performances on Friday & Saturday, August 15 & 16, 2025.

Dance, music, acting, costume design, performance skills, and stilt walking are all taught by Anne Sawyer, Creative Director, along with Assistant Director Lisa Winter of Wadena, and Tara Fahey of Minneapolis.

During the two weeks of workshops, participants will create and build puppets and props of all sizes in addition to learning the story and performance of the narrated play. Stilt walking will be included again this year as an added element to the performance (optional for youth ages 8 & older and adult participants).

The cost to participate in these two weeks of workshops and two performances is $50/child with a $100 max per family. Scholarships are available; no one will be turned away based on inability to pay. Parent volunteerism is always appreciated! Teens and adults participate for FREE! Grants, donors, and sponsorship support make this possible.

Click below to register (and pay) online, or complete the registration link below and stop by the Cultural Center to pay in person if you prefer. If meeting the family max ($100) or for scholarship participants, complete the form online and stop by to pay. Open House: Wednesdays & Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-3pm. Contact us to make other arrangements or with questions at 218-385-3339 or info@kulcher.org.

Click here to register & pay online >

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:

WORKSHOPS FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS:
Located @ The Barn, NYM Sculpture Park (unless otherwise noted below)

• August 4-8 (Mon-Fri) 9am-12pm: Daily Morning Workshops

• August 11-14  (Mon-Thurs) 9am-12pm: Daily Morning Workshops

  • Thurs. location TBD – may be VFW

• August 13 (Wed) @ NOON: Transport all puppets, props, supplies etc. from Barn to VFW — parent & volunteer assistance requested!

• August 13 (Wed) 6-8pm *EVENING REHEARSAL* @ VFW

• August 14 (Thurs) 6-8pm *DRESS REHEARSAL* @ VFW

• August 15 (Fri) 5:30pm *CALL FOR PERFORMERS* @ VFW (performance @ 7pm)

• August 16 (Sat) 10:30am *CALL FOR PERFORMERS* @ Finn Creek (performance @ 12pm)

PUPPETS & PROPS BUILDING EVENING WORKSHOPS — OPEN TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS:
**Family friendly!! All ages welcome, including adults and CHILDREN ACCOMPANIED BY ADULTS please.

• August 4, 6 (Monday, Wednesday) 6-8pm @ The Barn

• August 11,12 (Monday, Tuesday) 6-8pm @ The Barn

WORKSHOPS FOR STILTERS ONLY*:

• August 5 (Tuesday) 1-2:30pm @ The Barn

• August 7 (Thursday) 1-2:30pm @ The Barn

• August 12 (Tuesday) 1-2:30pm @ The Barn

• August 14 (Thursday) 1-2:30pm @ The VFW

*Stilt walking is open to ages 8 and up. Stilters should bring a pair of jeans and sturdy shoes (hiking boots are best) with socks to put on for each practice.

Note to Parents: Please note the noon-1:00 lunch break (unsupervised) between general workshops and stilting practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and make arrangements for your children.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS for participants:

• August 15 (Friday) at New York Mills VFW @ 7:00 p.m. in conjunction with NYM Corn Feed

  • NOTE: After Performance – Load all PP items for Saturday performance

• August 16 (Saturday) at Finn Creek Museum (6 miles south of NYM) @ 12pm in conjunction with Finn Creek Festival

  • Transfer all items & set up @ Finn Creek ~10am (specifics TBD)

  • CALL FOR PERFORMERS @ 10:30 a.m. @ Finn Creek Open Air Museum

Click below to register (and pay) online, or complete the registration link below and stop by the Cultural Center to pay in person if you prefer. If meeting the family max ($100) or for scholarship participants, complete the form online and stop by to pay. Open House: Wednesdays & Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-5pm, Saturdays 10am-3pm. Contact us to make other arrangements or with questions at 218-385-3339 or info@kulcher.org.

Click here to register & pay online >

Prefer to pay in person, or interested in a scholarship? Complete the form below to let us know you’d like to join in the fun!

Questions? Call us at 218-385-3339.