Melbourne Festival of Puppetry 2026: what to see from 22–27 September

Melbourne Festival of Puppetry runs from 22 to 27 September 2026 across Melbourne, with performances, workshops, masterclasses and free events for adults and children. The official City of Melbourne listing says tickets range from free to A$60, while the festival programme includes a free Puppet Picnic in Carlton on Saturday 26 September.

For international residents, one of the most distinctive choices is Snow on a Summer’s Day, a new bilingual work about migration, memory and family with stories spanning Korea, Japan and Australia.

When and where is Melbourne Festival of Puppetry 2026?

The festival takes place from Tuesday 22 September to Sunday 27 September 2026. This year it has expanded across Melbourne, with events at La Mama, Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI, the Motley Wherehaus and other locations around the city.

The programme includes children’s shows, adult and teen performances, workshops, masterclasses, film, street performances and free community events. The official Melbourne Festival of Puppetry website has the full programme and booking links.

What are the best events for international residents?

Snow on a Summer’s Day

Snow on a Summer’s Day is particularly relevant to people who have built a life across countries. Created and performed by mother and daughter Youngkyu (Yong) Kwon and Kay Yasugi, it draws on bilingual essays written in Korean and English and follows stories stretching from Korea to Japan to Australia.

La Mama describes the production as a world premiere built around migration, displacement, memory and what one generation passes to the next. It includes spoken English as well as some Korean and Japanese and is recommended for ages seven and over.

The 30-minute show runs at La Mama HQ, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton, from 22 to 24 September. The City of Melbourne lists tickets from A$15 to A$25. See the official La Mama listing and booking details.

The free Puppet Picnic

If you want a relaxed community event rather than a ticketed theatre performance, the Puppet Picnic takes place on Saturday 26 September from 10am to 2pm on the lawns of the Carlton Highrise Estate.

The City of Melbourne says the free event will include performances, roving puppets and workshops, with an emphasis on bringing the local community together. That makes it one of the easiest festival events to attend with friends, children or people who are new to the city.

What else is in the programme?

The festival is broader than children’s theatre. The official programme includes separate adult and teen events, masterclasses, film and workshops as well as family shows.

• Sticks, Stones, Broken Bones, running 22–26 September at La Mama Courthouse, turns everyday objects and scraps into shadow puppetry.
• Dreamer in the Deep, 22–24 September, is a blacklight puppetry adventure aimed at younger children.
• Trinket the Robot, 25–27 September, is an interactive show for children aged three to ten exploring emotions through a modern Pinocchio-style story.
• Puss in Boots and The Boy Who Lost His Light also run from 25–27 September as part of the family programme.

Prices vary by event. The City of Melbourne’s official festival listing gives the overall range as free to A$60, and individual event pages show exact ticket prices and accessibility information.

How to plan your visit

Because the festival uses several venues, check the venue on the individual event page before travelling. Some shows have short runs of only two or three days, while the programme continues through Sunday 27 September.

If you are new to Australia and looking for more ways to build a social life, Babylon also has a practical guide to meeting people in Australia and a broader Australia festivals and cultural events guide.

Quick answers

When is Melbourne Festival of Puppetry 2026?
22–27 September 2026.

How much are tickets?
The City of Melbourne lists festival prices from free to A$60, depending on the event.

Is there a free event?
Yes. The Puppet Picnic is a free community event on Saturday 26 September from 10am to 2pm at the Carlton Highrise Estate.

Which event has the strongest multicultural angle?
Snow on a Summer’s Day is a bilingual migration-and-memory story linking Korea, Japan and Australia.

Last verified: 22 September 2026. Event schedules and ticket availability can change, so check the official programme before travelling.