Entry No. 2 — the Santa Cruz file — filed under: art

Middleof (The Puppetry Institute)

A local puppet-arts nonprofit took over a dead anchor-store space at Capitola Mall and built a 5,000-square-foot walk-through "fantasy realm" where creature puppets up to 16 feet tall react to touch, movement, and light. Founder Ricki Vincent's yeti puppet, Queen Betty, greets visitors near the entrance.

The move: Book the $20 Adventure Tour with the full actor cast and play "Find the Feegle," a scavenger hunt through the different puppet realms — it plays out somewhere between a stage play and an escape room, and takes about an hour.

• 📍 Capitola
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 1855 41st Ave, Unit D-06, Capitola, CA 95010 (Capitola Mall)

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site · lookout.co

last checked: 2026-07-20