The 2015 National Puppetry Festival culminated on Saturday with a parade celebrating puppeteers from 12 nations and 40 U. S. States who spent last week in Storrs. The festival, which kicked off the 50th anniversary of the UConn Puppet Arts Program, included more than 20 performances open to the public that showcased the varied forms of puppetry by members of the Puppeteers of America.

Among those participating in the festival were “Sesame Street” stars Sonia Manzano (Maria), Caroll Spinney (Big Bird) and Pam Arciero ’82 MFA (Grundgetta Grouch); Jennifer Barnhard ’98 (SFA) and Jean Marie Keevins ’99 (SFA) of the hit Broadway show “Avenue Q; ” Peter Schumann of Bread & Puppet Theater, and legendary New York children’s television star Chuck McCann.

For more photos, check out our Instagram post.