The Phoenix Bird Puppets are a set of five giant flying puppets created by Toni Mikulka-Chang in response to the devastating wildfires in California. They were conceived as symbols of renewal, resilience, and collective healing—a reminder that even after immense destruction, communities can rise, rebuild, and transform.

These phoenixes have been performed in parades, festivals, and public gatherings as moving, airborne presences—offering both spectacle and a deeply emotional message of hope for survivors, victims, and impacted communities.

Each phoenix is operated by one puppeteer, making the full set a five-person flying puppet ensemble that can move together through space like a flock—circling, soaring, and rising above crowds in coordinated motion.

Materials & Construction

The Phoenix Birds are built using the same lightweight flying-puppet construction system as the monarch butterfly puppets in the Giant Puppets Save the World collection:

Lightweight structural frame designed for overhead flying and extended movement
Fabric and silk body and wings, optimized for wind, lift, and flowing motion
Hand-painted surfaces and details using durable, performance-ready materials
Balanced rigging system for long-duration carrying and expressive movement by a single puppeteer

Like much of the Giant Puppets Save the World collection, these puppets emphasize portability, visual impact, and performability.

Size & Presence

Each Phoenix Bird is a large-scale flying puppet with the same wingspan and overall scale as the butterfly puppets in the collection, designed to be highly visible above a crowd while remaining lightweight and maneuverable. When all five are flown together, they form a powerful aerial installation in motion, transforming streets, fields, and plazas into a living sky of color and movement.

Story & Purpose

The phoenix is an ancient symbol of rebirth through fire. These puppets were created not as static decorations, but as active, moving messengers—meant to appear in public space, float above people’s heads, and embody the possibility of renewal after loss.

They are used in community healing events, environmental and climate gatherings, parades, festivals, and immersive art installations. Together, the five phoenixes create a ritual of movement, color, and collective witnessing—a reminder that recovery is not solitary, and that rising again is something we do together.

A Living, Flying Installation

Like all works in the Giant Puppets Save the World collection, the Phoenix Birds are not static sculptures. They are working performance puppets—designed to be carried, flown, danced, and experienced in motion—continuing their mission to bring beauty, meaning, and hope into shared public spaces.