The Street Theater Festival, organized by the Idar-Oberstein Cultural Office, transforms Christuskirchplatz into a fascinating cabaret oasis with the OIE stage. At the same time, the Gemstone Cutter and Goldsmith Market, organized by the Schmuckkultur Association, opens its doors. In addition, on this Sunday when stores are open for business, downtown retailers invite you to enjoy a leisurely shopping stroll from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
At the Kreissparkasse Birkenfeld, the organizers presented this year’s highlights of the two events. KSK Director Torsten Rothfuchs welcomed the participants and emphasized how enthusiastic he personally is about this event weekend time and again. “That’s why we’re happy to continue supporting these events.” Mayor Frank Frühauf highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the city and the association, which has grown over many years. “This special collaboration ensures that this major event draws attention far beyond the city limits and attracts many visitors to Idar-Oberstein.” The mayor also thanked the sponsors—in addition to Kreissparkasse Birkenfeld, these include OIE AG, the Bürkle Foundation, Globus Idar-Oberstein, and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate—for their long-standing support.
Unique Jewelry Art in the Heart of the Gemstone City
Frederik Grüneberg, chairman of the Schmuckkultur association, reported that at the 28th Gemstone Cutter and Goldsmith Market, some 50 exhibitors will once again be offering a wide range of gemstones, minerals, and jewelry: From classic gold rings to sparkling necklaces, from tumbled stones to bold statement pieces. What makes the market special, however, are the live demonstrations, during which guests gain a fascinating insight into the world of gemstone cutting and jewelry design. You can watch the artisans at work, learn about the various crafting techniques, and discover more about the materials, tools, and creative process behind each piece of jewelry. “We look forward to working with the Cultural Affairs Office to bring the Oberstein pedestrian zone to life,” explained Frederik Grünberg, praising the excellent collaboration with the city administration. He highlighted the additional parking options at the Idar-Oberstein Exhibition Center as the biggest improvement over previous events. “There will be a regular shuttle service with an electric bus running between the exhibition center and the market.”
- For more information about the gemstone cutter and goldsmith market, visit www.schmuck-kultur.com. The market stalls are open on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
International performing arts at their finest
Next, Annette Strohm, the city’s cultural affairs officer, introduced the artists participating in this year’s festival. They will present poetic, comical, acrobatic, and whimsical performances, transforming Christuskirchplatz into a breathtaking, colorful, and imaginative spectacle.
Ana Jordão and Vincent Kollar blend the traditional circus discipline of hair hanging with dance, martial arts, and object manipulation. The German-Portuguese duo invites the audience to rediscover the boundless potential of the body without prejudice. Masculinity and femininity, visibility and invisibility, reality and illusion, agency and manipulation—their performance embraces these ambiguities.
Attention, sticklers for principles and those who blindly follow authority: Murmuyo embodies active disobedience and deliberate rule-breaking. This anarchist clown takes over urban spaces with his provocations and creates the most incredible moments. In the process, the audience becomes active participants in this urban thrill ride. With boundless imagination, plenty of humor, and a few surprises, Murmuyo creates grand urban theater—and chaos.
This Maag stands for extraordinary Alpine madness with EU-certified Swiss humor. It surprises audiences with a more-than-cool ski circus in the middle of the hot summer—here, it’s not just the snow that’s art. Every show is handpicked and a one-of-a-kind interactive spectacle of comedy and fun. Everything is improvised on the spot, so it’s always fresh and yet different every time.
"The Walking Ballroom " tells the disastrous story of the world's smallest ballroom. A humorous circus show for the whole family, where children laugh until they double over and adults rediscover their love of life—a clown show featuring tightrope acrobatics and tap dancing: aesthetically pleasing, uplifting, and featuring two extraordinarily eccentric characters.
Welcome to Kikiristan—a fantasy land, a land of the future. There are musical ambassadors there who tell stories of the past—of a forgotten world and its music. The musicians of Imperial Kikiristan play all kinds of music on wind instruments and get up to all sorts of crazy antics. It’s really funny.
With the magic of ink, the fabulous storytellers of Cuchufleta set out on stilts to bring words to life. In an astonishing and seemingly magical way, letters transform into living stories that transport the audience to a world without boundaries, full of fantastic tales and alchemy once thought lost.
With tall towers made of white boxes, five artists from the Benjamin Richter Company mingle right among the crowd. Curiosity becomes a game: boxes are stacked, thrown, and passed around—and the audience becomes part of the action. New games and choreographies constantly emerge through this collaborative effort. When glowing neon balls finally fly through the air in precise patterns, the space opens up to wonder and joy.
- For more information about the street theater festival, visit www.idar-oberstein.de/strassentheater. The program begins at 11 a.m. on both days, at the same time the market stalls open. Admission is free.