Find shadow events
Discover festivals, performances, workshops, and annual observance days connected to shadow puppetry.
Links to public organizer listings. Confirm details before making plans.
In-person times use the venue's local time zone. Online listings also show your local time when it differs.
Shadow Pals curates links to public event pages to help the community connect. Dates, availability, and prices can change, so confirm details directly with the organizer before making plans or purchasing tickets.
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Last updated: August 2, 2026
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Showing 71 events
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June 1 – December 31, 2026 · Opening reception
Exhibition featuring a world-class collection of Asian shadow puppets gifted by theatre scholars, alongside puppets from the University of Hawaii.
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September 26–27, 2026 · Sep 26 12:30 PM - 6:00 PM; Sep 27 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Mochinosha hosts a two-day shadow art festival with five shadow puppetry productions, workshops, hands-on exhibits, gamelan and violin music, and artists from Japan, Canada, and Indonesia.
Sunday, September 27, 2026 · 2:00 PM EDT
Venue local time · America/New_York
Connecticut Guild of Puppetry lists Blues, Blues by Sova Theater, a musical performance combining live music, dance, and shadow puppetry.
Friday, October 16, 2026 · See festival
Drew Colby's official hand-shadow calendar lists a London Month of the Dead appearance at West Norwood Cemetery.
Sunday, October 18, 2026 · See festival
Drew Colby brings My Shadow and Me to Firobi Festival Titelles, using hand shadows and shadowgraphy to build a comic visual world.
Friday, October 23, 2026 · 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Wisconsin Union Theater presents Manual Cinema's shadow-puppet retelling of Frankenstein, combining handmade shadow puppetry, live music, cinematic technique, and projected visuals.
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October 28–29, 2026 · Oct 28-29, 7:30 PM
Performing Arts Houston lists Manual Cinema's The 4th Witch on Oct 28-29 as a Macbeth spin-off told through shadow puppetry, live music, and cinematic silhouettes.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Manual Cinema's official calendar lists The 4th Witch at Weber State University, describing the production as a Macbeth-inspired work told through shadow puppetry, actors in silhouette, and live music.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 · 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Manual Cinema's official calendar lists The 4th Witch at Wharton Center for the Performing Arts, describing the production as a Macbeth-inspired work told through shadow puppetry, actors in silhouette, and live music.
Friday, November 13, 2026 · 6:00 PM - 7:05 PM
CINARS Biennale lists Manual Cinema's The 4th Witch, a Manual Cinema shadow-puppetry and silhouette-theatre production.
Saturday, November 28, 2026 · Time TBD
Drew Colby's hand-shadow adaptation of The Ugly Duckling at The Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Glasgow.
Sunday, November 29, 2026 · Time TBD
Drew Colby's hand-shadow adaptation of The Ugly Duckling at The Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Glasgow.
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January 6–17, 2027 · Multiple morning and afternoon performances
Mr. Damon's Shadow Puppets presents an interactive adventure built from shadow and light where audience choices steer each performance through a different story route.
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January 22 – April 25, 2027 · See venue
Drew Colby's official hand-shadow calendar lists a public GOP Munster engagement from January 22 through April 25, 2027.
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August 6 – October 24, 2027 · See venue
Drew Colby's official hand-shadow calendar lists a public GOP Hannover engagement from August 6 through October 24, 2027.
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November 12, 2027 – January 23, 2028 · See venue
Drew Colby's official hand-shadow calendar lists a public GOP Bonn engagement from November 12, 2027 through January 23, 2028.
At home
Annual moments to learn, make, and share shadow stories.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 · All day
Shadow puppetry is UNESCO-protected world heritage
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · All day
Before cartoons, there were shadows — the original animation
Saturday, October 31, 2026 · All day
Make your own haunted shadow puppet show
Saturday, November 7, 2026 · All day
One thousand years of Indonesian shadow puppetry
Monday, December 21, 2026 · All day
The darkest day of the year — grab a flashlight and make some shadows
Past listings stay visible so seasonal and annual pages remain useful after the date passes.
Sunday, September 13, 2026 · 6:00 PM
A night of shadow puppetry featuring Jeighk Koyote's Ocean Kin and two short works by Dawn Brandes, using plexiglass puppets, sculptural props, projected illustration, flashlights, and overhead projection.
Saturday, August 22, 2026 · 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM PDT
Venue local time · America/Los_Angeles
Fremont Arts Council presents Olympia-based String & Shadow Puppet Theater for a free outdoor performance of Night at the Opera.
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August 22–23, 2026 · 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM, and midnight GMT+2
Venue local time · Europe/Rome
Drew Colby is listed for three Nottenera appearances in Serra de Conti, using hand shadows and shadowgraphy in an outdoor night-festival setting.
Sunday, August 16, 2026 · 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM
Drew Colby presents Mr. Shadow, a family hand-shadow show built from shadowgraphy, vintage routines, and playful audience participation.
Friday, August 14, 2026 · 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Rhythmix in the Parks presents String & Shadow Puppet Theater in a free outdoor family performance of Night at the Grand Opera.
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August 14–23, 2026 · Symposium Aug 14-16; workshops Aug 17-23
This 10-day figure-theatre conference earns inclusion for confirmed shadow-focused programming, including Fabrizio Montecchi's contemporary shadow theatre workshop and Kathy Foley's Wayang workshop.
Saturday, August 8, 2026 · 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM GMT+10
Venue local time · Australia/Sydney
Tenterfield School of Arts hosts Spike the Echidna, followed by a hands-on shadow puppetry demonstration for family audiences.
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August 8–9, 2026 · See festival schedule
Festival of Fantasy lists Drew Colby's Shadows on the Wall as Hand-Schatten-Theater, a hand-shadow theatre performance using two hands, simple props, and light.
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August 5–30, 2026 · 6:30 PM daily except August 19 GMT+1
Venue local time · Europe/London
Underbelly presents Book of Shadows, a dark comedy in which two puppeteers cast giant shadows for an occult mystery at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe.
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August 3–7, 2026 · 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Verge Center for the Arts offers an August shadow puppetry camp for ages 6-9, covering puppet construction, screens, scenery, props, dialogue, movement, and music.
Sunday, August 2, 2026 · 2:00 PM
SpringWorks lists a shadow puppetry workshop as part of its World in a Weekend international puppet festival programming in Stratford.
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August 1–2, 2026 · See festival schedule
Drew Colby appears at Kleines Fest Ludwigslust with Shadowgraphy, a hand-shadow performance built from light, shadow, hands, and simple props.
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July 27 – August 10, 2026 · Mondays and Wednesdays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM CT
Chinese Theatre Works teaches a live online introduction to shadow puppetry covering desktop theatres, basic figures, environments, music or text, and world traditions.
Saturday, July 25, 2026 · 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Victoria University of Wellington hosts a Mandarin Corner session with a live demonstration of traditional Chinese shadow puppetry, cultural context, and a puppet-making activity.
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July 24–26, 2026 · See festival schedule
Drew Colby is listed for Kleines Fest Bad Pyrmont with Shadowgraphy, using hand shadows, light, and simple props to create animals, people, and stories.
Thursday, July 23, 2026 · 11:00 AM
The museum's Shadow Puppet Theatre series presents Peter Bently's Underpants Wonderpants as a superhero shadow-story program.
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 · 7:30 PM
Open Eye Theatre presents David Hanzal's Wishes in the Sand, a work-in-progress contemporary fairy tale that explicitly weaves tabletop puppetry and shadow play.
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July 18–24, 2026 · Jul 18-19 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM; Jul 20-24 at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM
Paper Monkey Theatre and The Gleam House present an English shadow play for young children that uses light and shadow to explore bedtime fear, comfort, empathy, and listening.
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July 17–19, 2026 · Festival schedule varies
Indonesia Travel lists Rafflesia Kemumu Festival programming with all-night wayang kulit performances alongside traditional dance, rituals, art, music, and local cultural activities.
Thursday, July 16, 2026 · 11:00 AM
The museum's Shadow Puppet Theatre series presents Frank Asch's Happy Birthday, Moon as a shadow-story program for young children.
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 · 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
A practical evening class on building and performing with simple shadow puppets, light sources, and screens.
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July 13–17, 2026 · 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
A youth camp brought by Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre where campers create shadow puppets, tell stories, and perform short pieces together.
Friday, July 10, 2026 · 10:00 AM
Artist, puppeteer, and theatre-maker Deni Dominguez leads children in building recycled-material shadow puppets, then closes with a short shadow puppet show.
Thursday, July 9, 2026 · 11:00 AM
The museum's Shadow Puppet Theatre series presents Eric Carle's The Grouchy Ladybug as a shadow-story program about friendship and manners.
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July 6–10, 2026 · Monday-Friday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
A weeklong youth camp for ages 10-13 focused on shadow puppet construction, screens, scenery, props, movement, music, and filmed short performances.
Thursday, July 2, 2026 · 11:00 AM
The museum's Shadow Puppet Theatre series presents Bethany Roberts' Fourth of July Mice as a holiday shadow-story program for young children.
Tuesday, June 30, 2026 · 11:00 AM - 12:10 PM
Little Wing Puppets performs a family theatre work about belonging and resilience, told through shadow puppetry, live theatre, interaction, and original music.
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June 26–28, 2026 · June 26-28
Ash Winkfield's Water Walker explores the Igbo Landing of 1803 through object movement, tabletop puppetry, shadow puppetry, set design, and original music.
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 · 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
A museum floor program where children use cardstock cutouts and projector light to cast shadows and turn a blank wall into a story theater.
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June 24–28, 2026 · Wed-Sat 7:30 PM; Sun 5:00 PM
Darebin Arts Speakeasy presents a contemporary Southeast Asian ghost story told through shadow puppetry inspired by Malaysian wayang kulit, live music, and dance.
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June 22–26, 2026 · Monday-Friday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
A weeklong youth camp for ages 6-9 focused on shadow puppet construction, screens, scenery, props, movement, music, and filmed short performances.
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June 22–26, 2026 · 12:30 PM - 3:45 PM
ArtStart offers a puppetry course within its Fantastic Voyages camp where Kallie Melvin guides students in creating shadow puppet characters, scenery, and story worlds.
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June 20–21, 2026 · June 20-21
Tom Lee performs and designs a solo adaptation of Stanislaw Lem's EDEN using shadow screens, moving panoramas, stop-motion animation, and miniature worlds.
Saturday, June 20, 2026 · 3:00 PM
A free family workshop for ages 6-12 where children watch a shadow show, learn about light and projected silhouettes, then build characters, scenery, and a mini shadow theatre.
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June 19–21, 2026 · Festival schedule varies
Malaysia Travel lists Kelantan traditional arts programming including wayang kulit performances alongside other regional folk arts, workshops, talks, and exhibitions.
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June 10–24, 2026 · Wednesdays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tom Tuke leads a three-session workshop on building and performing shadow puppets, exploring history, jointed figures, screen movement, light, refraction, and shadow effects.
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June 5–28, 2026 · June 5-28; opening reception June 5
New York State Puppet Festival presents a free Manual Cinema exhibition exploring the shadow-puppetry company's history, techniques, and storytelling magic.
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May 26–27, 2026 · 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM each day GMT+1
Venue local time · Europe/London
A two-day Little Angel Theatre playcation where children designed and cut shadow puppets, explored storytelling through shadows, and made a mini performance.
Thursday, April 16, 2026 · 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM EDT
Venue local time · America/New_York
Cass Bray and Zane Exactly of Shadow Girls Cult led a one-evening workshop on overhead projectors, 2-D shadow puppets, projection screens, and shadow puppet manipulation.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 · 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM EDT
Venue local time · America/New_York
A one-night Puppet Showplace double feature pairing Puppet Pants with Shadow Girls Cult's UNRAVELING, a performance using overhead projectors, shadow masks, and layered shadow puppets.
Friday, March 27, 2026 · 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM EDT
Venue local time · America/New_York
US Karagoz Theatre Company presented a modern Turkish shadow play at Puppet Showplace Theater, bringing the classic Karagoz figure into a contemporary Hollywood-inflected story.
Thursday, June 11, 2026 · All day
Play does not need a screen — just a light
Saturday, May 16, 2026 · All day
No shadow without light
Monday, May 4, 2026 · All day
Learn it on the app, then put the phone down and perform
Saturday, April 25, 2026 · All day
America's day to celebrate the art of puppetry
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 · All day
Leonardo studied light and shadow — celebrate art with your hands
Friday, March 27, 2026 · All day
Shadow puppets — the world's first theater
Saturday, March 21, 2026 · All day
The biggest day in puppetry, worldwide
Friday, March 20, 2026 · All day
Tell a story with nothing but shadows
Monday, February 2, 2026 · All day
America's shadow day