Each year, the promenade around the pier in Heringsdorf on the sunny island of Usedom becomes a gathering place for artists from around the world. Over the Pentecost weekend, street performers and artist groups from different countries come to the island. Starting Friday afternoon, the artists invite you to dive into the wonderful world of street art. Experience magic, pantomime, clowns, juggling, acrobatics, street theater, comedy, animation, fire shows, and much more at the 24th International Street Performance Festival on Usedom Island. The festival comes with a craft market, food stalls, and performances by the artists at 8 different spots along the promenade. The "participation circus" gives even the youngest visitors the chance to try out tricks with a bit of help from the pros. Since the first festival in 2000, around 500 artists have participated in the International Street Art Festival on Usedom Island. Some return occasionally with new shows to compete again. The international artists, many of whom travel from far away, perform without fees and there is no admission cost! We wish them roaring applause and full hats! Follow us on social media to find out in advance which shows you can look forward to in 2025!
Our expert jury, consisting of specialists from the theater, variety, and show industry, evaluates the performances based on set criteria. In 2024, the jury consisted of:
From Friday to Monday, the artist groups will perform several times in front of the critical eyes of both the expert jury and the student jury. The performances are limited to 30 minutes. The expert jury is made up of professionals from the theater, variety, and show business. The student jury, made up of volunteers from the Usedom Island Small Arts Association, judges the shows from their perspective and gives specially selected prizes to the winners in their category.
The winners will be announced at the end of the festival during the closing event and award ceremony on Whit Monday.
You can find more information about the award, participation rules, and how to apply here.
In 2025, the "Variety by the Sea" will once again take place in the Chapeau Rouge theater tent. Experience the International Street Performance Festival on Usedom Island in a very special setting! The theater tent invites you to two unforgettable variety show evenings: Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 7 PM. Look forward to a magical evening in the fascinating world of "Variety by the Sea" and enjoy the festival's artists performing on stage. In 2024, there was music, comedy, and magic of the highest quality, directed by Detlef Winterberg and charmingly hosted by Daniel Reinsberg with his penguin Scholli. Let yourself be enchanted by the unique atmosphere of the Chapeau Rouge theater tent and experience unforgettable variety moments right by the sea! You can find the ticket sales for "Variety by the Sea" 2025 below:
The support association “Kleinkunst Insel Usedom” e.V. was founded in the autumn of 2000 after the successful 1st International Cabaret Festival at Pentecost in the same year. The association is committed to promoting cabaret and performing arts in public spaces. We would like to support the enrichment of cultural life on our island. With the International Cabaret Festival on the island of Usedom, we have created a special highlight for all guests and residents. In our many years of work, we have succeeded in making us part of a festival that is known worldwide. Every year we receive over 250 applications to participate from artists and artist groups from all over the world. Another focus of our work is the annual playful, “historical” presentation of the Heringsdorf Imperial Days. In this way, we support the event organization of the Kaiserbäder's own business. The Heringsdorfer Kaisertage has now grown into the largest street festival in the region. We receive helpful support primarily from the in-house operation of the Imperial Baths on the island of Usedom. At this point we would like to thank everyone who supports our work. These include, among others, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, the Sparkasse Vorpommern Foundation for Science, Culture, Sport and Society and the numerous hotels, health clinics and businesses on the island of Usedom. All donors are listed on our website. The association consists of 23 members, a third of whom live on the island of Usedom, another third live in Berlin, the other members live in Freiburg, Hamburg, Wedel, Loitz and Cologne, so they are spread across the country. We are a small club in terms of numbers, but we welcome anyone who would like to support us outside of membership. Our contact details can be found in the legal notice. Help is always welcome.
For many years, the Kleinkunst Insel Usedom e.V. association has been bringing artists from all over the world to Heringsdorf, transforming the promenade into a vibrant stage for street art. The International Kleinkunst Festival delights both locals and visitors and has long since become a cultural highlight on the Baltic Sea. The entry has always been free.
To keep making art accessible
– outdoors and at eye level, we rely on your support.
(Donations are tax-deductible – we’re happy to provide a donation receipt.
Just contact us at: info@kleinkunst-festival.com)
Thank you for helping keep culture alive!
Your Kleinkunst Insel Usedom e.V. Team