From August 8 to 10, the 21st Clown Theater Festival will bring a vibrant mix of theater, mime, puppetry, and music to Gwangalli Beach, set against the dazzling nightscape of the Gwangan Bridge.
Hosted by Busan’s Suyeong-gu and organized by the Clown Theater Festival Steering Committee, this beloved summer tradition returns for three nights of free outdoor performances under the theme “Harmony and Peace.”
Launched in 2004, the festival has grown into a nationally recognized event, highlighting both local and touring performing arts groups.
This year’s lineup features 12 performances across various genres, including plays, puppet shows, nonverbal comedy, and street theater.
The festival opens on August 8 at 8:30 p.m. with Dream Theater’s madang play “Choi Jin-sa’s Third Daughter’s Search for a Groom.”
Main stage highlights include Diakonos’ “Mother’s Sea” and Sejin Theater’s mime act “Chaplin Times.”
On a special beach stage, family-friendly performances like “The Little Mermaid Who Intervened in the Byeoljubujeon” and “ㅋㄷㅋㄷ” will entertain audiences of all ages.
On August 9 and 10, the Culture Street section of the festival will feature the “Crazy on the Street” series, showcasing a selection of engaging short plays, each around 20 minutes long.
Audiences can enjoy unique performances such as Clown Song Production’s First Proposal, Dojeokdan’s Ssipssip’s Little Happy Gift, Cho’s TEMPO RUBATO: Free Speed, and Theater Company Eye Contact’s Solitude Wall, among others.
In addition to the performances, visitors can take part in interactive experiences like “Citizens’ Razz,” where they can try on theatrical makeup and transform into clowns themselves.
Interactive events such as clown makeup sessions and short-form street theater will round out the festivities.
All performances are free and run nightly from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
