HYATTSVILLE, Md. — Did you know that the creator of the world-famous Muppets made his very first puppets while in high school in Hyattsville, Maryland? All weekend long the city is holding festivities in honor of that man, Jim Henson.
Henson first began developing prototypes for the Muppets while at Hyattsville's Northwestern High School, and in 1955, while at the University of Maryland, College Park, he created "Sam and Friends," a nightly five-minute show on local cable that helped launch his career and led to the development of "The Muppet Show."
In 2016, the City of Hyattsville and The Jim Henson Legacy came together to install Jim Henson Courtyard in Hyattsville’s Driskell Park as a way to honor Henson’s local roots.
On Friday, the weekend-long celebration kicked off with a sing-a-along and a screening of "The Muppet Movie" at the park.
The movie was introduced by Heather Henson, daughter of Jim and Jane Henson and Chairperson of The Jim Henson Legacy .
On Saturday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., the celebration continued at Driskell Park with music, dancing, a scavenger hunt, puppet making, and more.
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