PUBLIC DREAMS INVITES VANCOUVER OUT TO PLAY
Illuminares Pre-Event Creative Workshops July 20 – 30, 2011
Build a lantern, join a community flash mob, or breathe life into a giant heron puppet!
July 14, 2011 (Vancouver, BC) Illuminares Lantern Festival 2011, now in its 22nd year, is a series of glowing handmade lantern processions, creative workshops, performances and fantastical happenings. All of the elements combine to celebrate community cooperation, creative expression and revelry. It’s one of the most beloved and well-attended festivals in Vancouver, now at a new location along the Coal Harbour seawall and outside Canada Place.
To lead the lantern procession this year, Public Dreams dreamt big with the creation of a 30-foot illuminated heron puppet. Inspired by the work of French puppeteers Royal De Luxe and their Giant Little Girl puppet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBXr15K2uSc ), the giant bird has been built with a cross-sector team of Vancouver’s best puppeteers, designers and engineers. Now Public Dreams is looking to the community to bring this magnificent creature to life!
In a 2-part puppeting workshop, participants will learn the agile and cooperative craft of maneuvering this giant light-weight bird. Participation is by donation and will include the opportunity to perform the heron at the festival.
Animated by community participants, the Heron will arrive on the shores of Coal Harbour at Harbour Green Park on July 30th at 5pm to lead the first of the evening’s processions – of humanity following nature. The procession will make its way to Canada Place where the entire promenade will be transformed, illuminated and filled with interactive art and performances!
From July 20th to July 30th, members of the community can also take part in Lantern Making Workshops or be a part of the Theatrical Flash Mob and work with a professional theatrical director, choreographer and costume designer to create an interactive performance to present on the evening of Illuminares (July 30th). Check out our full list of workshops and schedule here! Or on our Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=254562921227582.
Let your imagination play, who knows where it will fly!
For a link to the video of last year’s Illuminares click on the link below: http://vimeo.com/14398893
For a gallery of images from Illuminares click on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/publicdreams/sets/72157624690821379/