FestiFools frenzy: Dicken fourth graders unleash their creativity with 3-D sculptures and a parade through the halls

Days before the Big Events in downtown Ann Arbor, student artists hold a parade of their own with support from FestiFools founder Mark Tucker

Five days before the whimsical FestiFools parade takes over downtown Ann Arbor’s Main Street, Dicken Elementary was the scene of its own celebratory march. Fourth graders paraded vibrant 3D sculptures they had spent weeks meticulously crafting from wire, tissue paper, and glue.

Their guide on this creative journey? None other than Mark Tucker, the visionary founder behind FestiFools and FoolMoon—two public art spectacles that have delighted the city for more than a decade.

The art students made luminary sculptures based on imaginary fictional characters from a fictional land, Tucker explained, adding that the most important thing is that they collaboratively worked in a fun environment.

This was Tucker’s first time partnering with Dicken Elementary thanks to an introduction from a friend who works at Dicken to Principal Heather Halabu and Art Teacher Theresa Erickson. “It’s really important when you have staff support for something like this,” Tucker said.

Erickson has been attending FestiFools and FoolMoon for years, so she said she was thrilled to get her students involved and use materials they’d never worked with before.

Halabu agreed.

“As a long-time fan and participant of FoolMoon and FestiFools with my own family, it has been such a delight to watch Mark infuse our 4th graders’ art classes with such joy and excitement,” she said. “We are ever grateful for this new partnership with U-M, and send our huge thanks to Mark for bringing his passion and creativity into the Dicken Community. We can’t wait to celebrate the students’ works of art together this weekend at FoolMoon!”

As the founder of FestiFools and FoolMoon, Tucker and his University of Michigan students—assisted by hundreds of community volunteers—create the giant “puppets” and signature luminary sculptures for these events. Festifools 2024 will be held on Sunday, April 7 from 4 to 5 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor, and FullMoon is scheduled for 8 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 5.