Since its inception, the festival has welcomed 12,000 exhibitors and now reaches its seventh edition in Sant Joan d’Alacant. The City Council inaugurates the event on October 7, highlighting a Festival de Teatre per a la Infancia that celebrates the richness of languages from around the country.
The program brings together nine performances from two companies and spans eight autonomous communities: Valencian Community, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Aragon, Catalonia, Murcia, Basque Country, and Madrid. Sant Joan participates in a Ministry of Culture initiative that presents a mix of visual, physical, and shadow theatre, along with puppet shows scheduled through June.
The festival opens this Friday with a Valencian puppet production by the Valencia-based Sant Vito Ballit company. The show Gori Gori, recommended for audiences aged four and up, kicks off a lineup that continues with Behind the Stage, a nonverbal piece by the Cuckoo theater (November 18). Baychino Theater from Zamora presents a wordless performance on December 9, followed by Mind in the Air by Eugenia Manzanera from Madrid on January 13. The Basque company Crusoe marks February 10 with a distinctive display, and March 10 features Chatungla from Murcia, a captivating puppet theater piece. April 14 brings Miranius, an exploration of life on Earth created by Catalan artists using paper as the medium. May 12 shines with Blu, a story about a seed from Lime Theater, a collaboration between El Verger and Guadalajara. The festival closes with a celebration of goodness, presented by the puppeteers from Binéfar in Aragon on June 2.
Tickets are priced at a 3 euro donation, a contribution that directly supports the work of social initiatives connected to the festival. Purchases can be made in cash at the LLibres Chus bookstore, located at 18 La Ordana Street. All performances will be held at the Antonio Gil Auditorium inside the Sant Joan Cultural House, starting at 18:00 each day.
The festival director shared that the aim is for families to gather at the theatre, a space that offers more than lively entertainment. It is a place to feel, reflect, and question the world we inhabit. He framed art as a mirror that invites conversation and shared experience, a message he believes should resonate with every audience member who attends the festival, regardless of age.
In sum, Sant Joan’s seventh edition stands as a bright example of cultural collaboration, civic participation, and the enduring appeal of theatre for children and families. By weaving together diverse styles and languages, the festival provides a vibrant panorama of contemporary theatre that is accessible, engaging, and thought-provoking for audiences across Spain and beyond.