Krewe du Cattywampus Parade & Street Party, March 26th at Big Ears Festival
March 12, 2022

KNOXVILLE - Local arts nonprofit Cattywampus Puppet Council is excited to collaborate with the Big Ears Festival on March 26th to bring giant puppets and the magic of its annual community parade back to Knoxville! Led by New Orleans’s historic Preservation Hall Jazz Band and joined by an assembly of musicians from New Orleans and Haiti, Knoxville’s streets will be filled with music, art, joy, dancing, and revelry.

This year’s theme is “Our Wildest Dreams.” Community members of all ages are invited to make giant puppets, masks, costumes, and other art and come together to parade as one.

This people-powered parade will kick-off in the Old City at 1pm and then transition into a Street Party from 2-4pm at the Southern Railway Station featuring local hip-hop and drumming from Good Guy Collective and Drums Up, Guns Down, as well as performances from Pres Hall Jazz Band, Sporty’s Brass Band, and other Big Ears artists.

There will be food trucks, art & play activities for all ages, and more. Both the parade and street party are free and open to the entire community.

Over the past 2 months, Cattywampus has led artistic residencies at 8 different youth programs helping students design and create their own giant puppets to carry in the parade. These sites include Centro Hispano, the Boys & Girls Club, Canvas Can Do Miracles, Pond Gap Elementary, and several other community partners.

Cattywampus Puppet Council will also be hosting Open Studio Days at St. James Episcopal on Sunday, March 20th, 2-6pm, Monday, March 21st, 4-7pm, & Tuesday, March 22nd, 4-7pm for community members to help work on giant puppets and make their own art for the parade. All are welcome.

To register to be in the parade, access resources for building your own giant puppets and other art, and find out more, please visit www.cattywampuspuppetcouncil.com. Info can also be found through the Big Ears Festival website.