April 1, 2012: Festifools, Ann Arbor MI, USA

Here in Ann Arbor, on the first Sunday in April, we have Festifools. A parade of papier mache puppets made by the University of Michigan students and the community at large. It's been going for 6 years, shameful to admit this was our first attendance. The puppets were most excellent, the atmoshpere was fun and friendly and it was really nice to celebrate a close relationship between the townies and the students.

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Steam-Punk Monkey (Steam Ponkey?) was our favorite. But so hard to judge.....

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The University of Michigan provides a big workspace where anyone can go to make puppets. It's free (although donations are appreciated)

http://festifools.org/

That's wonderfool!

Higher number of Oriental students than I would have expected. But that's probably because being back in Aylesbury I can go a year without seeing an Oriental face. There was a larger population in Leicester and far more in Greenwich, where I worked with and made friends with people born in Hong Kong, Japan and some BBC (British Born Chinese).

I can always spot a dubbed American commercial/ photo advert because there will be a Chinese child in it. Oh, apart from the appalling dubbing in the first place.

I do admire the puppets. They look like the sort of puppets produced by workshops when I was working for the Arts company in London. Good fun all round. Now tell us about the FOOD!

Photo credits to Beest, btw.

We saw candyfloss being sold, but it wasn't really a food deal. Which was surprising. We went to BDs Mongolian grill, which was nice.

How cool! I know that stuff is big in some South American countries and some European countries, but I didn't know anyone in the states did it. Love the creativity!