International Street Theatre Festival SERMUKSNIS

Street theatre festival "Šermukšnis“ ("The Rowan-Tree") started 37 years ago (in 1985) and is held every two years in Klaipeda. Started as a chamber festival of performances the festival has grown into a prestigious the whole country event. He currently presents not only the performances, but also various promotions, carnival processions, improvisation "here and now" or just a colourful action with seasoned theater. Visitors can enjoy theatre performances, improvisation or even a variety of carnival fever. Sometimes it turns into a crazy festival of theatrical fantasy.
Over three decades the festival was attended by hundreds of artists from more than 20 countries.

Since 2001 festival moved from the premises of the city spaces to streets and squares.

Our festival presents contemporary theatre and aims to bring a variety of cultural institutions, cultural interaction values. We do not stick to the founding generation and genre dictates. "Šermukšnis“ presents the theatres of different countries and regions, looking unique and different to anything else. As far as possible, we try to introduce to Klaipeda‘ citizens and visitors the theatres that try to go beyond the limits of the gray everyday, to understand death, resurrection and the secrets of joy.

Theatre festival "Šermukšnis" appeared to overcome the urban theatrical provincialism. The main provision of the festival has not changed today. Resistance to isolation of the experiments, cultural interaction, sensitivity to change – these are all objectives of the festival.