Create Spectacular Giant Puppets and More for the Illumination 250 Parade, the Largest Public Art Experience in Bergen County
(Hackensack, New Jersey; July 17, 2026) – The Northern New Jersey Community Foundation invites the public to participate in the special ‘Giant Puppets Workshop Series’ led by artists from the internationally acclaimed Processional Arts.
The puppets created in the workshop series from August 14 through August 19 will be featured in a giant puppet parade marching down Main Street in Hackensack, New Jersey in Illumination 250, an all-day arts festival taking place on October 3, 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
The workshops are free and open to adults, seniors, teenagers, and tweens, and ages 12 and up. Youngsters, ages 12 and under, must be accompanied by an adult. Scouting troops, arts groups, student clubs, community groups, and other organizations are also welcome to participate. No skills are needed.
Participants may sign up for one, more, or all sessions in the workshop series. Reserve your spot today and register for each session separately here: https://tinyurl.com/PuppetWorkshops .
Workshop Dates and Times
The workshop sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
•Friday, August 14: 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 5:00-8:00 p.m.
•Saturday, August 15: 12:00-3:00 p.m. and 3:00-6:00 p.m.
•Sunday, August 16: 12:00-3:00 p.m. and 3:00-6:00 p.m.
•Monday, August 17: 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 5:00-8:00 p.m.
•Tuesday, August 18: 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 5:00-8:00 p.m.
•Wednesday, August 19: 2:00-5:00 p.m. and 5:00-8:00 p.m
Sign Up to March or Become a Puppet Master
You can also be part of this once-in-a-generation celebration by marching in the parade or becoming a puppet master. Walk alongside the giant puppets, musicians, artists, and neighbors in this joyful community procession. Learn how to operate one of the spectacular giant puppets and become a puppet master. No experience is necessary. Free training will be provided to teach you how to manipulate these incredible creations before the parade. Sign up here and learn more about this once in a lifetime opportunity, https://tinyurl.com/AugustPuppetTraining.
Illumination 250 Celebration: A Collaboration
Building around the Main Street Business Alliance’s popular HACKENSACKtoberfest, the initiative will introduce a series of new arts, cultural, and community events across downtown Hackensack, creating the largest public art festival experience in the region. Illumination 250 festivities also include Family Fun Day, Hackensackotoberfest, a flash mob, and a spectacular light show on the Green in the evening. Opportunities will be available for local artists to contribute their talent to the planned arts experiences.
The celebration expands beyond the annual HACKENSACKtoberfest from Atlantic Street Park to multiple downtown locations—Anderson Street Park, Banta Place, Demarest Place, and the Courthouse Green—featuring live performances, cultural programming, and interactive art installations to celebrate the City of Hackensack's diverse communities.
Illumination 250 is a collaborative, regional celebration developed by Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC), Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF), Main Street Business Alliance (MSBA), Greater Bergen Community Action (GBCA), and the City of Hackensack. The celebration is supported by funding through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) A.R.T. Phase II program, which leverages the arts to transform public spaces into vibrant, engaging community hubs, stimulating economic activity, and expanding public cultural art programing
Public art and creative placemaking projects like Illumination 250 demonstrate how the arts can be powerful engines for economic development and community vitality. They bring people into public spaces and business districts, increase foot traffic for local restaurants and shops, create a stronger sense of place, and foster civic pride, connection, and investment in the life of a place. The collaboration’s long-term goal is to develop an annual event that draws larger investments into the downtown and builds greater audience numbers over time.
For further information about the Illumination 250 celebration, contact Danielle De Laurentis, Associate Director of the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, at artsbergen@nnjcf.org. Updates about the celebration will be posted on the partners' social media accounts, including MSBA on Instagram at @DowntownHackensack and on Facebook at @DowntownHackensack and HACPAC on Instagram at @HACPAC_arts and on Facebook at @Hackensack Performing Arts Center, and on the celebration's website https://www.DowntownHackensack.org/illumination250 .
About the Organizations
Hackensack Performing Arts Center stands as Hackensack's cultural centerpiece, nurturing artists across disciplines. Its Performing Arts Center provides a platform for emerging and established talents, from Broadway stars to Grammy-winning musicians, and local talent. The organization celebrates creativity and offers a home for the next generation of performers. For more information, visit https://hacpac.org/.
Main Street Business Alliance is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit public/private partnership between the business community on Main Street and the City of Hackensack. The MSBA's mission is to improve the local economy and overall business climate. For more information, visit http://downtownhackensack.org/.
Northern New Jersey Community Foundation, founded in 1998, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Hackensack that works with local governments, school districts, businesses, nonprofits, and citizen groups to improve community life through collaborative partnerships. The Foundation’s ArtsBergen initiative advances creative placemaking and is the largest producer of community-relevant public art in Bergen County, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.nnjcf.org.
Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit Community Action Agency headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey. Established in 1967, GBCA is Bergen County's federally designated anti-poverty agency serving Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties. Its mission is to reduce poverty by addressing the causes and conditions of persistent economic instability through comprehensive, community-based programs. For more information, visit https://www.greaterbergen.org/.
City of Hackensack serves as the historic county seat of Bergen County, offering a unique blend of urban energy and suburban charm just seven miles west of Upper Manhattan. This diverse city of approximately 47,000 residents is currently undergoing a vibrant downtown revitalization. For more information, visit http://www.hackensack.org/.
Photo Caption: Volunteers participate in a puppet-making workshop with Processional Arts Workshop Photo Credit: Processional Arts Workshop
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