11/1/2026
Well, here we are (again) at the start of a New Year, which seems as excellent a chance to launch our new web-site with a new blog sharing new dreams and activities for the future. Please, make yourself comfortable!
As anyone who knows or has met us, every year of The Squeaking Tribe kicks off with the incomparable wonders (and responsibilities) of the Woodford Folk Festival. True to form, this year is no exception with our commitment to immersive puppet-making workshops and an impressive gallery of our most modern works on display at the Museum of Interactive Effigies. Not only that but also the reactivation of the ever-popular Squeaky Theatre which held daily Puppet Jams and free family-fun workshops in puppetry with Puppet Aerobics. And if that wasn't enough to keep our team of artists and builders and Kurators busy, we sweetened the whole experience with an interactive space born of all our past performance pieces in the form of The Lost Garden, a new creative wonderland which played host to the magnificent Hanging Temple by local Artitect, benefactor and friend, Jason Cleminson.
Phew! Even just announcing it is enough to leave me breathless!
As always, the Museum, et al. was another unprecedented success on previous years, further ingraining itself in the wonder-filled Lore and Mythos of the Festival proper as an institution dedicated to inspiration and exploration of the Creative Arts I've been engendering since my first inception of marionette-making as a potential (and potent) lifestyle nearly 30 years ago. That's right! As I tap away right now, I am entering the thirtieth year since my dreams to create first burst to life and took flight at Woodfordia. And suffice to say, I could never have made it this far without the absolute support of friends, family and an ever-growing community of people and patrons who have encouraged me along my journey...
This year, my love and respect and undying gratitude falls most specifically upon those whose talents and energies contributed so directly and selflessly to what is, for myself and Sara, the most demanding and rewarding three months of our annual calendar:
Firstly, to the beautifully-anarchic performers of the Squeaky Theatre: Rufio Max, Luna Cat and Jodie Buttons! These three were thrown in the deep end and tasked with revitalising a performance space left empty and fallow the year before. Despite the stresses involved in interpreting a thinly-sketched programme for workshops amongst challenges both personal and professional, these three together breathed new life and a collective vitality to create one of the Festival's most engaging street venues. Our dreams for this space found proper fertility thanks to their unique efforts and ever-flowing ideas for what the Theatre could become, especially for the Festival youth who found a fun new family to celebrate with. For myself and Sara, they created an exciting fringe-arts formula which has been lacking on the Festival streets but proved a much sought-after element for festival-goers seeking entertainment beyond the proscribed programme of official venues. Our love for you guys knows no bounds, so thank you!
Secondly, I would like to thank our three white witches of Imagination who dreamed into being the magical marvels of The Lost Garden: Kate Keegan, Kristy Mary and, of course, Sara Lee. Their early efforts laid a fertile soil by which our old performance puppets and broken sets became a nurturing oasis for families and patrons among the turmoil of a bustling six-day festival. Despite their shared roles as kurators for the Museum, these three gifted women helped tend and cultivate a Garden of our dreams, aided most-especially by our new in-house handyman and groundskeeper, Gerry Conway. Gerry, you are an absolute godsend and I hope you know how much we value and appreciate your constant, creative labour. We could not have done any of it without you. Welcome to the family!
Thirdly, my ever-grateful thanks must go to our team of Kurators who managed the floor of the Museum during its busiest year with enthusiasm, flair and abiding personality: Iain Pritchard, our OG champion-of-the boards, and Mimzy, our newest member to the Tribe whose distinctive character and loveable goofiness brought a fresh air to our exhibition and ourselves. Double kudos, too, to those pulling double-shift with all our other endeavours: Kate, Kristy, Jodie and Sara (yet again!). Without everyone's often thankless help, I might never have kept my sanity or even much energy for the twelve puppet-making workshops which contributed daily to the Artisan programme and the 98+ attendees who received so much of the wit and wisdom (read: madness) of my journey thus far.
Last, and far from least, Sara and I would like - nay, must! - give our utmost gratitude to Jason Cleminson who not only has provided a unique home to us for many years where we've learned to nourish and grow our Art, but swoops in every year to save us from failure with an abundance of work both practical and aesthetic whereby none of this might even exist. This year especially, he was the sole creative talent behind our crowning glory - the Hanging Temple - an impressive monument in the form of a great, swinging chair which stood front-and-centre amongst all other creative contributions. Dreamed, designed, milled and crafted entirely by his own hand, the Hanging Temple was a continuing attraction for the thousands of daily attendees of Woodfordia, tranquil and curative, entertaining children and reminding adults of the beauty still existent in a forgotten childhood. It also made for the perfect wind-down after the stresses and excesses of a day (any day!) at Woodford Folk Festival.
None of this would matter at all if not for the love and labour of Festival organisers, programmers, artists, workers, builders, volunteers and, of course, the festival-going public whose contributions move us all closer to the 500 year dream we've all come to share for so long, or even the first time. Also, for the support of Moreton Bay City Council and their RADF grants programme which has enabled Sara and myself to dream bigger and brighter than ever before in creating such a World of Wonder...
And to Sara, who keeps getting more incredible and beautiful and inspiring every year. For me, she is the reason any of this still exists, still grows and still shines. I love you most of all, baby!
-Sol Puppetman
Photo by @Lunacatphotography
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