FAQ
Find Answers to Common Questions Here!
If you need additional help, please email us: info@chicagopuppetfest.org
GENERAL INFO
Wednesday, January 21 – Sunday, February 1, 2026 – It will be the 8th Edition.
The Festival takes place at dozens of locations in and around Chicago. There will be a map of the venues on our website so you can see all of the neighborhoods and find a location near you or one you’d like to visit (2026 locations map coming soon).
Most of the festival is for adult audiences but we do have a few shows that are for children. Please refer to the brochure and the website box office (coming soon for 2026 Festival) to see recommended ages for audience members.
Some shows are designed for adults because they are very quiet and require sitting still for a long time. Other shows may be inappropriate for children for example they may be too racy or simulate violence. Similarly, some shows are difficult for sensitive viewers regardless of age for example if they deal with topics like war, death, illness, or interpersonal conflict. It really depends on the show. Please read the descriptions carefully. Audience members will be seated at the discretion of the house manager and patrons with tickets may be prohibited from viewing based on age restrictions if it appears the audience member may be too young or may create a distraction for adult audiences. In these rare instances, you may be able to get your ticket refunded. Please email the boxoffice@chicagopuppetfest.org.
If you lost something at a theater, we will leave it at the theater for 24 hours and then bring it to our offices downtown at the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 310. Please email us with “Lost & Found” in the subject line at info@chicagopuppetfest.org to let us know what you’re missing.
BOX OFFICE
Tickets are sold online at ChicagoPuppetFest.org. The Box Office for each show is at the respective venue where the show is being presented. Show up on the day of the show and check in at the Box Office.
All tickets are held at Will Call at the Box Office of the venue where that particular show is being presented. We do not mail any paper tickets. Will Call is a list at the venue.
We operate on the honor system and do not require patrons to show ID to prove age or enrollment when they check in. We encourage you to carry it with you in case you decide to buy tickets from the box office for another show though. In that case, you may be asked for ID.
On our website at the upper corner, click on ACCOUNT to access your list of purchased tickets.
That is fine. When your friend checks in, have them check in under your name.
Yes, up to 24 hours in advance of curtain, you are welcome to email the box office and donate your tickets for someone else to use.
Tech happens! We get it. Sometimes this is because there are several emails under your name and the box office system is having trouble figuring it out. Please email boxoffice@chicagopuppetfest.org for help from a person.
Yes, we accept payments with credit card, check and/or cash at the box office.
Yes, you can show up in person and join an onsite waitlist, but there is no guarantee that there will be seats available. We make every effort to get everyone in, but be prepared to be turned away if the venue is full.
If you have not yet purchased your ticket, check in at the box office when you arrive and ask to be put on a waitlist. When everyone is seated, and the staff can see if there are any empty seats available, they will be offered for sale in the order on the waitlist at the discretion of the front of house staff.
No, the Artist Button does not guarantee that you have a seat. When you get to the box office, let them know that you have an Artist Button. They will add you to a special waiting list and will seat you if seats remain unsold at the time of curtain.
We do not have advance waitlists for sold out shows, but we do make them on the day of the show at the box office. Waitlists are developed on site at the venue when the box office opens. People can get added up to the waitlist up until curtain time. Sometimes there are no-shows, so it may be possible to get a last minute seat, but it may mean sitting on cushions or to the side depending on the venue. We do our best to get everyone in if possible.
There are frequently ticket exchanges, last minute travelers who don’t make it in, and/or the occasional press holds that are released back to the buying pool, so it’s a good idea to pop online periodically before the day of the show to see if any new tickets have become available for a showtime you are especially interested in.
All tickets are non-refundable.
Yes, so far we have never cancelled shows due to weather conditions. Allow yourself extra time for travel and bundle up. If the show is going on, you’re expected!
We will do our best to accommodate change requests but after are welcome to ask the box office for a ticket exchange
Yes, most of our shows sell out, so it’s best to buy your tickets in advance.
DISCOUNTS + FREE EVENTS
Yes, there are many free events. You can find all of them by searching FREE on the show page HERE. We have a Free Neighborhood Tour that takes a show or sometimes two around the city to a variety of neighborhood locations and those shows are always family friendly. You can learn more about the Free Neighborhood Tour HERE.
Yes, if you buy multiple tickets, you can get a discount. See details below. Also, all puppeteers performing in the Festival receive free access to ticketed shows on a standby basis.
Tickets purchases of 10 or more for a single show receive an automatic discount at check out.
Yes, it’s more trouble than it’s worth to do an exchange for a minor price difference. If there is a difference in price, we welcome you to make a donation in the future to offset the cost difference but there’s no need to switch the ticket prior to the show or show ID. Just check in under your friend’s name and tell the box office what happened.
We don’t know anything about resellers or scalpers and advise that you don’t buy from a third party.
ACCESSIBILITY
Please email the boxoffice@chicagopuppetfest.org so we can best help you and/or notify any of the ushers or box office staff upon your arrival to the theater.
Yes, each venue during the Festival is ADA accessible.
To see what services are offered for a particular show, please visit the venue website for more information including support for hearing, vision and mobility differences.
ARRIVAL AND SEATING
No, all seats are general admission so you can sit with whomever you’d like and you can tell your friends and family to “meet you there.”
Most shows do not have late seating but the box office and ushering team will do their best to help you make it in if possible. Each show has a different policy based on the artist who is performing.
The box office is open 1 hour prior to showtime.
With a few exceptions, most theaters will open for seating 30 minutes prior to curtain.
TRANSPORTATION
Each venue is a little different. Many have street parking that can be purchased on site. Please refer to your emailed confirmation for information from the venue about nearby parking.
Leave yourself a little extra time between shows. Use the box office website to see which public transportation is available. If the venues are far apart, consider a ride share like Lyft, Curb or Uber. Depending on weather conditions, Divvy bikes may also be an option.
WORKSHOPS/EDUCATION
Yes, most classes have a few scholarship slots. Email info@chicagopuppetfest.org to learn more.
Yes, we have classes for all levels at various times throughout the year. Please review the requirements for the class you’re interested in to be sure that it says Level 1, All Levels or Beginner. Those are perfect for you!
- Hosting the largest festival in North America which attracts international festival directors to see, better understand and feel greater connection to Chicago puppetry and puppeteers
- Making fiscal sponsorship available to puppet artists who don’t yet have their 501(c)3 so they can accept grants like the Jim Henson Fellowship or other puppetry support opportunities
- Running the Chicago Puppet Lab incubator program for Chicago-based artists, which is now in its 5th year and takes place in Chicago
- Presenting Chicago artists’ productions in the Festival on the mainstage, at fundraising events, and in cabaret settings via Nasty, Brutish & Short
- Providing residency space for artists in our studio
- Hiring local artists for festival gigs like driving, front of house, production support, etc.
- Hiring local artists to help design and build puppets as part of the Chicago Puppet Studio, our award-winning design and manufacturing arm
- Featuring all puppet artists on the People in Puppetry page to all puppeteers which provides greater visibility for Chicago artists on a growing international platform
- Hiring local writers and photographers to document the work, which then also supports local artists with professional reviews and imagery
- Assisting with grant applications
- Sharing resources, renting equipment, and helping source materials for local artists, like pipe & drape, staging, worbla, etc.
- Providing mentorship formally and informally with a team of professionals in puppetry available locally year round
- Offering high quality puppet training and workshops locally
- Providing an internship program for local artists interested in working in puppetry
- Providing discounts and scholarships for a variety of programs including workshops, artist intensives, tickets, etc.
- Sourcing local artists when international artists want or need to hire supplemental local performers
- Sharing puppet gig leads when local opportunities arise and folks request puppeteers for local kid shows, events or activities
HEALTH PROTOCOLS
We will follow the most current CDC guidelines at the time of the Festival. There are currently no requirements or recommendations regarding wearing masks or sharing vaccination history.
LIVESTREAM
Typically, our Symposium and Nasty, Brutish & Short late-night cabaret are the only livestream opportunities at the Festival.
Some programs are recorded and can be found in our Archives after the Festival along with articles, reviews and more information about each show.
SHOW SELECTION PROCESS
We have a new curatorial process and request that you submit any proposed show to our curatorial committee for review at this link.
There is not a specific deadline as we are now annual, which means we are thinking of programming for more than one Festival at a time on a rolling basis. Please be sure to visit our website and sign up for emails so you receive any announcements about upcoming timing, events and opportunities.