Honey for the Heart will perform its fourth annual parade where they will use massive puppets.
Honey for the Heart got its name when an artist from South America described Athens as “honey for her heart.”
Honey for the Heart was created four years ago when Patty Mitchell, one of the directors, asked Arts for Ohio and Ohio University Learning Communities if she could create a “giant puppet parade” that “really speaks to the culture of Athens, Ohio.” Since then, Honey for the Heart focuses on creating life-size puppets and organizing a Halloween parade each year.
“This is what we want to infuse in everybody who’s making, viewing, talking about — that fluttering feeling in your chest, that excitement,” Mitchell said. “So, we’re intentionally creating opportunities to encourage that feeling of honey in people’s hearts.”
The artists create these puppets with recyclable materials and trash.
“I’m here to facilitate that and to make art out of garbage,” Adam Ende, a visiting artist from Washington, said. “And to help other people who don’t necessarily think of themselves as artists ... realize they can also make beautiful things out of garbage.”
Honey for the Heart will march down Court Street for the fourth time on Halloween wearing costumes and handling life size-puppets. This year, Honey for the Heart is incorporating the theme of the five Chinese elements — wood, fire, metal, earth and water.
“Last year we didn’t have a theme, and (artists) could do whatever they wanted, and that’s a little overwhelming,” Mitchell said. “Everything you do is going to fall in the five elements because the five elements encompass the world, and so you’ll find a spot within the parade.”
In previous years, the parade had live music that could not be heard the whole time, Mitchell said. This year, they want to split up the parade into segments where there will be different musicians within the different elements.
The Honey for the Heart Halloween parade has been expanding. Daniel Polnau, the lead puppet artist, said there are more puppets than people.
“People are starting to catch on to what it is,” Polnau said. “They just couldn’t understand how it could be so amazing on Court Street that wasn’t just (about) partying. It’s really turned into a local community event that’s kind of amazing.”
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On Saturday, Honey for the Heart plans on walking slowly, as there are a lot of details in the art that people might miss, Mitchell said.
“There’s going to be all these huge, improbable things going down the street,” Ende said. “This is a gift to the community. We’re creating a little bit of magic and wonder in the world just for the sake of magic and wonder.”
The parade will start on Fern Street and will turn left onto Court Street, continuing past the courthouse where the artists will perform a dance and song. Then, it will continue down to Union Street.
“I love Athens, and I love Halloween in Athens,” Mitchell said. “I love that it has its own spirit, and that it just keeps going. You can’t stop it. It has this energy.”
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