May Fayre and Puppet Festival in Covent Garden

From Londonist.com:

'That's the way to do it! Covent Garden's May Fayre & Puppet Festival is back for 2025.
The free, family-friendly event celebrates the anniversary of the first recorded sighting of Mr Punch, an early version of today's Punch & Judy shows.
It was diarist Samuel Pepys who recalls seeing "an Italian puppet play — a great resort for gallants within the rayles of Covent Garden" in May 1662. Pepys' puppet sighting is recorded by a plaque on the wall of St Paul's Church, unveiled in 1962.
This led to the first Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival being held in 1976, which brought together Punch & Judy professors and puppeteers from all over the world. Aside from during the Covid-19 pandemic, the event has taken place on the second Sunday of May ever since.
At 11am, a grand procession, led by a brass band, parps its way around the Covent Garden neighbourhood to kick off the day's celebrations. This is followed at 12pm by a special service in St Paul's Church — also known as the Actors' Church for its theatrically-inclined congregation — with Mr Punch in the pulpit.
After the church service, the fayre takes place in the church garden with stalls, Punch & Judy shows (tell the kids that this is what kids TV used to look like), puppeteering workshops, live music and maypole dancing. An afternoon of wholesome, free, fun, if ever there was one.'

All are welcome. If you'd prefer not to attend the church service, feel free to either hang out in Covent Garden during this time or come along to meet us after at around 1pm-just let us know ahead of time so we're not looking for you!

(Please keep your RSVP updated if you are no longer able to attend as late cancellations or no-shows may be removed from the group.)