Academic and Scholarly Events

  • 11/21 Forum: Macy's, Tony Sarg, & Inflatable Puppets

    For its third installment of the 2019 Fall Puppet Forum Series, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry will host Macy's, Tony Sarg, and the Invention of Inflatable Puppets with Robert Grippo, Christopher Hoskins, and John Bell, moderated by UConn School of Engineering Professor Mehdi Anwar. Join us on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019 at 7 p.m. at the Ballard Institute Theater, located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs. 

    Robert Grippo and Christopher Hoskins, authors of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will join UConn School of Engineering Professor Mehdi Anwar and Ballard Institute Director John Bell in a discussion of the ground-breaking invention of inflatable puppets for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades by puppeteer Tony Sarg and engineers from the Goodyear Rubber Company. This event is co-sponsored by the UConn School of Engineering.

    Robert M. Grippo grew up on Long Island, New York, and spent twenty years in the credit card industry. He has also enjoyed a lifelong avocation as a Macy’s historian. Now retired, Robert is a full time writer whose works include Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

    Admission to this event is free (donations greatly appreciated!), and refreshments will be served. Come early, and experience our puppet exhibitions, as well as the video resources in our library nook. Forums will be broadcast via Facebook Live. For more information or if you require an accommodation to attend a forum, please contact Ballard Institute staff at 860.486.8580 or bimp@uconn.edu

    For more information, contact: Ballard Institute Museum of Puppetry at 860-486-8580 or bimp@uconn.edu