18th International Street Theatre Festival Hoyerswerda 2026 (Braugassentheater)

International Street Theatre in Upper Lusatia

Hoyerswerda — the bilingual city on the edge of Lusatia in the Bautzen district — celebrates the 18th International Street Theatre Festival on Sunday, July 5, 2026. The venue is the historic old town around Braugasse and the market square, which give the event its well-known name «Braugassentheater». The Sorbian sister designation «Nadróžne dźiwadło» highlights the cultural dual identity of Lusatia: Hoyerswerda is located in the settlement area of the Sorbs, a Slavic minority, and the festival nurtures this cultural bridge.

Acrobatics, Clowning, Music

International street theatre companies perform on several stages and venues in the old town — acrobatics, clowning, walking acts, mime, music performances, and comedy blend into one another. Free admission, donations for the artists are welcome. The festival attracts thousands of visitors every year from all over Lusatia, from Berlin, Dresden, Cottbus, and the Bohemian Šluknov Hook region. The intimate architecture of the old town with its cobblestones, remnants of the city wall, and brewery charm enhances the atmosphere.

Tradition Since 1999

The street theatre festival originated from an initiative in 1999, initially founded to preserve the historic buildings of the old town. What began as a protest with artistic means evolved into an international festival in 2009, bringing the old town out of the shadow of the prefabricated housing complexes of the new town. Today, Kulturfabrik Hoyerswerda e. V. (Kufa), together with the city, organizes the festival — supported by the Free State of Saxony, the Bautzen district, and private sponsors.

Hoyerswerda and the Summer of Culture

The street theatre festival is the highlight of Hoyerswerda's summer of culture «Umsonst & Draußen!» (Free & Outdoors!), which offers a diverse open-air program from June to September — concerts, film nights, readings, markets. Visitors to the Braugassentheater should plan a day for a city walk: Hoyerswerda Castle, the Zoo & Castle grounds, and the bilingual signage (German / Lower Sorbian) are worth seeing.