Puppet shows are just for kids. Except when they’re produced by Royal de Luxe, a French troupe which uses whimsical yet technologically sophisticated marionettes to tell its fantastical tales. What sets their puppets apart from all others is their scale, with some of their creations towering over fifty feet.

Videos featuring Royal de Luxe’s oversize creations have gone viral, so you may well have seen them on YouTube or your Facebook feed. Their most recognizable characters include Little Girl Giant, the dog Xolo and the elephant. They’ve lumbered through dozens of cities worldwide, creating an unforgettable spectacle in their wake. Productions generally commemorate an anniversary or historical event, and their movements are painstakingly coordinated to tell a tale connected to the occasion. Their shows in Berlin, Santiago, Chile, Liverpool, England and Perth, Australia have attracted in excess of a million spectators. When the marionettes come to town, they stay for a run of several days and settle in, adhering to their humanlike daily routines such as showering or settling down for a good night’s sleep.

A chance to watch these fantastical puppets and their human masters is offered by the Dutch city of Leeuwarden taken place on Aug. 17-19. Their appearance comes in connection with Leeuwarden’s designation as a European Capital of Culture, a title awarded by the European Union to cities in its member states. For the period of one calendar year, the two chosen communities lay on ambitious programs of art and culture designed to enhance the quality of life of local residents, draw the broader public’s attention to the destination and highlight the richness of Europe’s cultural diversity. Leeuwarden shares the honors with Malta’s capital city of Valletta in 2018.

Organizers are for now keeping the routes, timeline and the story to be told under wraps, but if previous spectacles are anything to go by, it might well be worth the effort of traveling to the area to watch Royal de Luxe’s marionettes in action. The last day of the program concludes with a great parade to bid the giants farewell.

Leeuwarden, some hundred miles northeast of Amsterdam, is the capital of the province of Friesland. Tourists venturing to the area will be rewarded with handsome, canal-lined towns, lakes for sailing, dunes and beaches. Its coastline includes the Wadden Sea, a system of intertidal sand and mud flats so unique they were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009. Friesland can also boast of having its very own language.

As Royal de Luxe shows often draw hundreds of thousands of viewers, those planning a trip would be wise to book accommodation earlier than later. Should hotel accommodation prove elusive or prohibitively expensive, remember the Dutch are a nation of campers, meaning family-friendly camping facilities are thick on the ground.

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