San Diego’s Space 4 Art, the San Diego Guild of Puppetry, and ArtReach will present the inaugural Art Fun Giant Puppet Parade starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday September 4.

The activities begin at the Hilton Hotel Indigo room and continue out onto the waterfront as part of the lunchtime festivities at the Art San Diego, Contemporary Art Fair, which attracts artists and art collectors from around the country.

Parents and kids can make masks indoors with teaching artists from ArtReach from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. then move outdoors to the waterfront park adjacent to the Hilton and learn drumming techniques from the Puppetry Guild’s Felix Diaz from 12 to 12:30 pm.

Then, they will march along the waterfront with the masks they have created and the giant puppets and banners brought by the Guild, before enjoying a picnic on an 1000 square-foot Community Picnic Blanket created by Alexander Jarman, the manager of public programs for The San Diego Museum of Art. Families are encouraged to bring their own picnic lunches.

“We envision this as the beginning of an annual community event celebrating the arts of San Diego on the downtown waterfront and are thrilled to have the Giant Puppet Parade as part of the San Diego Contemporary Art Fair,” said Cheryl Nickel, an artist who is one of the founders of Space 4 Art

“Bringing together children of all ages to parade with masks, banners and giant puppets is a magical experience: a joyful celebration of the power of the arts to bring us all together,” said Lynne Jennings, an artist who serves as chief administrator for the San Diego Guild of Puppetry.

Art Fun is a free event open to youth of all ages. The volunteer organizers of the ArtFun Giant Puppet Parade have launched a crowd-source funding campaign at www.indiegogo.com/ART-FUN where supporters can easily donate any amount over $10 to help fund the program.