The Bucharest International Street Theater Festival – B-FIT in the Street! comes to Bucharest between June 30 and July 2, 2023, and changes the city into a street theatre scene with dozens of performances from Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands. This is one of the significant Bucharest events this year, and from theatre lovers to passers-by, all will be attracted to the actors’ performances.
The only festival of its kind in Bucharest and the most prominent street theatre festival in Romania, B-FIT in the Street! has reached its twelfth edition.
Over 200 international artists enliven the streets of Bucharest for three days with dozens of shows for all tastes and all ages. The edition’s program includes famous stories transposed into spectacular street theatre productions, aerial acrobatics, live music, meetings with fantastic characters, itinerant shows, living installations and water shows.
During the day, the festival audience is invited to explore the city and discover a multitude of performances simultaneously in several points in Bucharest. Every festival night will also change the cityscape with large-scale aerial acrobatics and water theatre productions.
Map of B-FIT in the Street! is expanding this year with new locations in key areas of Bucharest. In addition to the already established locations of the festival – University Square, Bucharest Old Town, Calea Victoriei, George Enescu Square, and Revolution Square – the Dâmboviţa river becomes, for the first time, the scene of a water show and Independence Square hosts a series of mobile shows and a night show.
Bucharest International Street Theater Festival – B-FIT in the Street! once again transforms Bucharest into a holiday destination with three days of water shows, aerial acrobatics, live installations, live music, itinerant shows and fantastic characters. Between June 30 and July 2, more than 200 artists from Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands come to the twelfth B-FIT in the Street Festival!
For the first time, the Dâmboviţa River becomes the scene of two water shows at B-FIT in the Street! 2023.
Initiated in 2008, B-FIT in the Street! is the only street theater festival in Bucharest. B-FIT in the Street has become a landmark of the summer season in Bucharest! Every edition is enjoyed by an audience of at least 20,000 participants. Arrived at the twelfth edition, B-FIT in the Street! takes place this year between June 30 and July 2.
In the festival’s opening, the French artists from Gratte Ciel present on Friday, June 30, from 4:00 p.m., in the University Square, the latest production from the company’s repertoire, the aerial acrobatics show RoZéo. Described as a living installation that incites reverie, in which artists perform on modular metal structures, let themselves be carried by imperceptible breezes and enter into a dialogue with the landscape, RoZéo has participated in major festivals in Spain and France.
On Saturday and Sunday, the shows start from 18.00 until 23.00 and invite the spectators to more than five hours of street theater in B-FIT in the Street hotspots! #12: University Square, National Art Museum of Romania, Odeon Theater Square, George Enescu Square, Calea Victoriei, Independence Splai and the Historical Center (Roma Square, Lipscani str., Gabroveni str.)
Giant puppets inspired by La Fontaine’s fables, parrots on stilts, Batucada drummers, cabaret dancers and large illuminated creatures walk the city streets and train passers-by to enjoy the B-FIT in the Street street party!
The festive atmosphere is completed by the Italian artists in the Street Piano interactive music show in front of the National Art Museum of Romania, also by the Flower Sway Poles artists dancing on substantial white flowers in the University Square and by the Big Ears sound installations spread across several points in the city, from George Enescu Square, University Square, Regina Elisabeta Boulevard, CEC Palace and Independence Square.
The festival evenings end with performances of some large-scale nocturnal shows, which promise to transform the urban landscape through surreal stories. Among the most anticipated B-FIT in the Street moments! of each edition, the aerial acrobatics shows return to George Enescu Square on the first and last day of the festival. Friday, June 30, from 8 p.m., artists from the most famous international circus companies, such as Cirque du Soleil, Les Tambours du Bronx, La Cie Hervé Koubi, Cie Gallott present the French production „Tawa” in George Enescu Square.
A 360-degree performance, „Tawa” combines aerial acrobatics with dance and live music, with incredible numbers of human strength and endurance, and culminates in a spectacular color explosion.
The climax of the Bucharest festival is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, July 1, with two large-scale shows. For the first time in the festival’s history, B-FIT in the Street! transforms the river Dâmboviţa into a stage of theater on water. After the Seine in Paris, the Arno in Florence and the Tiber in Rome, the river show „DriFT” of the French company Ilotopie arrives in Bucharest on Saturday, July 1, on the river Dâmboviţa – Splaiul Independenței. The parade of the 100 transparent characters will start at 21.00 and can be watched from the Dâmboviţa quay, from the Podului Izvor area to the United Nations Square.
The second night show of the evening of July 1, „The Whale Street Show” from France is an adaptation of the famous adventure novel „Moby Dick”. From 9:45 p.m., the city streets become the pages of Melville’s story, starting from Dâmbovița – the United Nations Bridge area and continuing towards Calea Victoriei at the intersection with Bulevardul Regina Elisabeta. Circus artists and dancers stage the encounter with the legendary character Moby Dick, his pursuit and the final battle to the rhythm of live music.
On Sunday, July 2, from 21:00, in George Enescu Square, the show of the Sonics company from Italy „Meraviglia” promises to introduce the audience to the world of fairy tales and conquer it through the presence of special visual effects. Those present at the Nouveau Cirque performance will witness at unique moments that combine poetry and high-altitude athletic performances.
Program of the B-FIT IN THE STREET FESTIVAL BUCHAREST
THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BUCHAREST STREET THEATER – B-FIT IN THE STREET!
12th Edition, JUNE 30 – JULY 2, 2023
FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2023
16.00 – 16.35 University Square (statue area): RoZéo (France) – living installation
18.00 – 18.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
19.00 – 19.30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
18:40 – 19:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
19:20 – 20:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
20:00 – 20:45: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
20.00 – 20.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
20.30 – 21.00: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
20:40 – 21:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
20:00 – 20:40: George Enescu Square: TAWA (France) – aerial acrobatics show
21:20 – 22:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
21:50 – 22:35: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
22.00 – 22.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
22.30 – 23.00: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
George Enescu Square, University Square, Queen Elisabeta Boulevard (Cișmigiu Park area), Calea Victoriei (CEC Palace area), Independence Splai: BIG EARS (France) – sound installation
SATURDAY, JULY 1, 2023
18:00 – 18:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
18.00 – 18.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
18:00 – 18:45: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
18:40 – 19:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
19.00 – 19.30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
19:00 – 19:45: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Dodos (France) – traveling show
19:30 – 20:15: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store – Novotel Hotel: 20′ Street Ballet (France) – traveling show
19:20 – 20:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
20.00 – 20.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
20:00 – 20:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
20:00 – 20:45: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
20.30 – 21.00: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
20:40 – 21:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
20:45 – 21:30: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Dodos (France) – traveling show
21:00 – 21:45: Dâmboviţa River: Independence Splash, Pod Izvor: DRiFT (France) – show on water
21.00 – 21.30: National Art Museum of Romania (pavement): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
21:20 – 22:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
21:15 – 22:00: Novotel Hotel – Calea Victoriei – National History Museum of Romania – United Nations Square: 20′ Street Ballet (France) – traveling show
22.00 – 22.30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
22:00 – 22:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
21:45 – 22:30: Independence Square – United Nations Square Bridge continuing on Calea Victoriei to the intersection with Queen Elisabeta Boulevard: The Whale Street (France) – street theater show
George Enescu Square, University Square, Queen Elisabeta Boulevard (Cișmigiu Park area), Historical Center (National History Museum Area), Independence Splai: BIG EARS (France) – sound installation
SUNDAY, JULY 2, 2023
18.00 – 18.30: the National Art of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
18:00 – 18:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
18:30 – 19:15: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
18:40 – 19:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
19.00 – 19.30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
19:00 – 19:45: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Dodos (France) – traveling show
19:20 – 20:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
19:30 – 21:00: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store – Novotel Hotel: 20′ Street Ballet (France) – traveling show
20.00 – 20.30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
20:00 – 20:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
20.30 – 21.00: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
20:40 – 21:20: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Les Cignes (Italy) – traveling show
20:45 – 21:30: Odeon Theater Square – Music Store: Dodos (France) – traveling show
21:00 – 21:30: National Art Museum of Romania (sidewalk): Street Piano (Italy) – interactive musical performance
21:00 – 21:45: George Enescu Square: MERAVIGLIA (Italy) – acrobatics show
21:20 – 22:00: University Square (statue area) – Historical Center: Stilt Parrots (Netherlands) – traveling show
21:45 – 22:30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Batucada Los Vikingos (Spain) – traveling show
22:00 – 22:12: University Square – Statues: Flower Sway Poles (Italy) – street theater performance
22.00 – 22.30: George Enescu Square – Revolution Square – Music Store: Animal Fairytale (France) – traveling show
George Enescu Square, University Square, Regina Elisabeta Boulevard (Cișmigiu Park area), Calea Victoriei (CEC Palace), Independence Square: Big Ears (France) – sound installation
B-FIT IN THE STREET FESTIVAL MAP
