Join me as I explore the 2025 Greater Philadelphia Area Puppetry Guild’s "National Puppetry Day" Celebration!
This joyful gathering is packed with creativity, colorful characters, and passionate puppeteers sharing performances, skills, and stories.
This year's "Day of Puppetry" is April 18th at the Abington Arts Center. The event will be filled with hands-on workshops, puppet performances for families and adults, local vendors, and a special MYSTERY guest.
Join me as I scout New York Toy Fair for all the incredible Muppet, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth items coming in 2026.
Highlights this year include Teeturtle'snew Care Bears X Sesame Street collab Oscar and Elmo reversable plush, and Labyrinth plush.
Super Impulse's Ernie Tator-tot:
Ty'sSesame Street Beanie Babies and Beanie Bouncers:
CreateOn: Sesame Magnetic Titles and QB's block figures:
Super7's Sesame Street ReActioin figures, blind bag figures, Cl!cky Caps, and Super Size Oscar with real sock:
Monogram'sCare Bears X Sesame Street, Elmo, and Dinosaurs Blind Bag Figural Bag Clips. The Care Bears X Sesame Street will be out soon, while the Dinosaurs set should be out in May.
Alliance/ Hand Made by Robots' Kermit and Animal coming out by the end of the year.
Diamond Art Club's Sesame Street Crafts
Insight Editions' Muppet Amisurumi Crochet Christmas Book, Labyrinth VHS style Making of book.
Teddy Mountain'sFraggle Rock plush:
Rokimoto'sSesame Street ramen noodle blind box figures coming to Hot Topic, Box Lunch, BAM! Newbury comics, and more in May.
Bull Aires'Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth 40th lines:
and NECA's Sesame Street Ultimate's Super Grover coming Q1 2026, and The Muppet Show Gonzo & Camilla Q4 2026, Mahana Mahna & the Snowths 3-pack, and Miss Piggy & FooFoo Q1-2027.
You can see even more items and details in our full video report from the convention floor below:
We shared our notes with our friends at ToughPigs, who were there on different day then us, and we'll link to their report when it's up.
Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube channel.
We are sad to share that Arthur Novell, founding board member of The Jim Henson Legacy has passed away.
For 19 years Arthur’s firm, Markham/Novell Communications, served as the public relations agency for The Jim Henson Company.
On Muppets Tonight, he served as the liaison for the guest stars, a role performed by David Lazer on The Muppet Show. He was responsible for explaining to the guests how to walk on the elevated sets, speak to the Muppets, not the puppeteers, and make sure they were comfortable with the production.
Arthur was featured as Muppet caricature "Arthur Modell" a contestant on "Swift
"Swift Wits", the UK Spot in the Pierce Brosnan episode.
He was among the trusted colleagues selected by Jane Henson to form the founding Board of Trustees of The Jim Henson Legacy.
The Jim Henson Legacy Board in 2013
Arthur went on to serve as the organization’s Executive Director for nine years, remained an active board member, and attended many legacy events.
Sad news as acclaimed civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson has died.
Jackson was a politician, activist, and Baptist minister, who in 1984 became the second African-American to declare candidacy for the office of President of the United States.
Muppet fans may recognize Jackson from his 1971 appearance on Sesame Street where he recited three of his poems "I Am - Somebody", "I Can Do", and "Nation Time." According to Muppet wiki, of them, only the first clip is known to survive.
"I Am - Somebody" was included as a bonus segment Sesame Street Old School: Volume 1 DVD, and was sung as song a few other times on the show.
That same year, Jackson founded Operation PUSH, which stood for People United to Save Humanity. Its initial membership list included Apollo Theatre manager Peter Long, and his wife Lorretta Long, who played Sesame Street's Susan. The organization is now known as Rainbow/PUSH.
Over the years Jackson helped negotiate the release of several detained and captured Americans around the world and in part due to these efforts, in 2000, Jackson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Bill Clinton.
You can read more about Jesse Jackson's life at Time.
Michael Davis announced a sequel to his 2008 book "Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street" is coming this fall.
While the original was a New York Times best-seller and was made into an award winning documentary, there's still a lot more stories and details to share.
Davis shared the news via LinkedIn:
"Greetings, "Street Gang" fans. I'm excited to let you be among the first to know that a second volume on Sesame Street's history and impact will be published this fall, entitled "Street Fight." The book will especially delight GenXers and Millennials, but there will be delicious dish and untold tales for every generation. Cookie Monster's early review: "Me like."
Join me as I explore the floor, check out incredible toy displays, and highlight some of the many Henson collectibles for sale. From vintage favorites to modern releases, this video captures the excitement that makes Zolocon a must-attend event for toy fans. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just love awesome toys, there’s plenty here to enjoy.
Tickets and info for this year's show: Zolocon.com
Be sure to check out more videos on our Youtube channel.
The Jim Henson Company is producing Wowsabout, a new live-action 22-minute preschool special starring new puppet characters and celebrating the power of awe, which will debut on PBS KIDS later this year.
Created and written by Halle Stanford, and Dorien Davies, executive producer, writer, and principal puppeteer, Wowsabout is about the unlikely friendship of Ronald, a fastidious little pig, and Roxy, a musical hedgehog, as they explore the "wows" of one of America's most extraordinary places: Sequoia National Park.
The new special pairs two very different explorers on an unforgettable adventure. Roxy, a free-spirited dreamer, is on a quest to find the park's legendary "magical giants." Ronald, meticulous and rule-following, is determined to achieve his carefully planned goal of becoming a junior ranger. At first glance, they couldn't be more opposite but the awe and wonder of the natural and cultural world shows them that they have more in common than anyone thought. Together they find themselves on a "Wowsabout" full of music, art, and hysterical adventures!
Wowsabout is rooted in a rich curriculum developed by Dr. Dacher Keltner, one of the world's foremost emotion scientists and author of "AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life." The special, shot on location in breathtaking Sequoia National Park, aims to help children recognize and name the feeling of awe by experiencing moments of wonder alongside Roxy and Ronald. Through nature, music, storytelling, and friendship, children learn how awe sparks curiosity, creativity, kindness, and a desire to explore and care for the world around them. The special inspires children to notice awe in everyday moments and begin their own "Wowsabouts," fostering connection to others and to the planet.
"Wowsabout brings The Jim Henson Company's rich legacy of puppetry into the natural world and Roxy and Ronald are sure to become guides for a new generation of viewers, encouraging greater awareness and stewardship of the environment and the world we all share," says Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company and Executive Producer on the special.
"In Wowsabout, our mission is to spark wonder and awe in kids and inspire them to care for each other and the world. We're thrilled to partner with PBS KIDS to bring this vision to life. With the comedic brilliance of the performances from my co-creator Dorien Davies as Roxy and our director John Tartaglia performing Ronald, and a top-tier creative team, this is a fresh, one-of-a-kind special—an open invitation for families to discover awe in the national parks and go on their own Wowsabouts together!" said Halle Stanford, Co-Creator, Writer and Executive Producer of the special.
"There is so much research about the benefits of exposing children to awe, and Dr. Keltner's studies about this emotion make it very clear that awe is a pathway to collaboration and compassion," said Dorien Davies, Co-Creator, Writer, Executive Producer, and Puppeteer of Roxy the hedgehog. "I'm excited to be playing Roxy and to help kids tap into this powerful emotion. Awe can be such a uniting force and it's something we need a lot more of today."
Wowsabout is created by, written by, and executive produced by Halle Stanford and Dorien Davies. The special is executive produced by Lisa Henson for The Jim Henson Company. John Tartaglia serves as co-executive producer, director, and puppeteer for Ronald. Dr. Dacher Keltner is also a co-executive producer with Jaime Burke and Amy Kim producing.
Wowsabout was shot on location at Sequoia National Park, with strategic project advisor support from The National Park Foundation.
Wowsabout was made possible by a grant from The Gambrell Foundation and with support from Christina and Evan Sharp.
