If you come across mimes and spontaneous dance recitals in the streets of Medellin over the next week, don’t be alarmed. It’s just Colombia’s second largest city celebrating its 10th annual Performing Arts Festival.
With cultural performances from more than 100 Colombian groups as well as four international groups from Argentina, Equatorial Guinea, the United States, and the Dominican Republic, Medellin will be bursting with creative energy from August 22 to 30 for its annual Performing Arts Festival.
Organizers of the festival, in association with Medellin en Escena (Medellin in Scene), have created an extensive program filled with theater, dance performances, puppet shows, storytelling sessions, and even a circus, according to the Medellin en Escena official Facebook page.
Sunday, August 24 is set to be the heart of the festival, with a street parade and free concert in downtown Medellin starting at 3pM. More than 1,200 artists from 30 groups will parade from the Pablo Tobon Theater in central Medellin to the Sculpture Plaza where they will showcase their musical and theatrical talents until 8PM, according to the Pablo Tobon Theater website.
Now in its 10th year, Medellin’s Performing Arts Festival began as a way to celebrate the creation of Medellin en Escena in 2002; a not-for-profit association of 19 different theaters and cultural spaces that support artistic expression in the city. Today the festival has been transformed into one of the largest annual cultural events in Medellin where people exchange ideas, attend workshops, and of course, see live performances.
Admission to most performances costs around $6, but spectators can purchase multiple event tickets ahead of time and save up to 36%.
Sources
- Gran comparsa de las Artes Escénicas (Teatro Pablo Tobon)
- Medellin en Escena (Official Facebook Page)