Mark Tucker, art director at the U-M Lloyd Hall Scholars Program (LHSP), began his professional artistic career as Art Director for the Michigan Thanksgiving Parade. While in this role, Mark traveled to Europe to learn the fine art of cartapesta (papier mâché) from esteemed float builders in Viareggio, Italy.

If you’re familiar with Superior Concept Monsters, then you may have an inkling of the FestiFools’ vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PctKlNNqeMs

Inspired by the magnificent, huge, bizarre, politically incorrect, human powered and fully animated floats, Mark decided to see if this kind of creative energy could find an audience back home.

In 2006 he teamed up with Shoshana Hurand, a former LHSP student (and then graduate student), who saw the hands on creation of public art as a great opportunity for people of different backgrounds to build relationships, learn from one another, and make their voices heard by the world.

Mark and Shoshana set out to turn a whimsical idea into a reality. Starting with a class of 20 non-art majors in Mark’s LHSP “Art in Public Spaces” class, they went to work welcoming students, community members, and anyone looking for a chance to be creative and meet new people.

On April 1, 2007, FestiFools exploded onto Ann Arbor’s Main Street with enormous papier-mâché creatures, Stomp like music courtesy of UM student group GROOVE, and hundreds of participants from across the community. From the 200+ students in Nick Tobier and Holly Hughes’s School of Art & Design classes, to Kelly Quinn’s College of Urban Planning students, to a broad spectrum of community members that donned masks and joined the festivities, FestiFools 2007 achieved its vision of bringing people out into the streets for fun-filled, artistic Foolery.

Celebrating its 10th year in 2016, Festifools is now supported by U-M in a permanent, 2500 sq. ft. facility, with 2 LHSP classes devoted to the creation of this unique artistic event, FestiFools is destined to be one of the crown jewels in Ann Arbor’s cultural and artistic offerings for many years to come.

 

FoolMoon Friday, April 1 8 p.m.–midnight Washington & Ashley St. Grab your luminaries join a processional at 8pm at one of THREE locations: – Farmers’ Market at Kerrytown – University of Michigan Museum of Art – Slauson Middle School There is still time to make a luminary and to sign-up to volunteer!

FestiFools Sunday, April 3 4–5 p.m. Main St. between Washington and  William Participate in the spectacle by bringing a puppet of your own making, gathering a group of merrymakers, or volunteering as a puppeteer! Staging on Liberty between Main and 4th Avenue at 3 pm.  Unloading zone on 4th Avenue near Liberty.