La Jolla Playhouse’s WOW Festival is back this spring, bringing four days of bold, interactive, and all-ages performances to UC San Diego’s campus.

Known for transforming public spaces into stages, WOW features more than 20 local, national, and international artists across immersive theatre, interactive cabaret, circus arts, and genre-blurring experiences.

Described by BroadwayWorld as “fearless and fun activations that electrify our creative city,” this festival invites us to step beyond traditional theatre and into performances that are hands-on, unexpected, and designed to surprise.

Art That Breaks the Fourth Wall

WOW Festival isn’t about sitting quietly in a seat. Many of the experiences are participatory, immersive, or completely unconventional, turning everyday spaces across campus into creative playgrounds.

From intimate one-on-one encounters to high-energy ensemble performances, the lineup spans a wide range of styles and formats. Whether you are into experimental theatre, physical performance, live music, or interactive storytelling, there is something on the schedule that will pull you in.

Featured Performances to Watch

With more than 20 experiences on the lineup, narrowing it down is no easy task. The beauty of WOW Festival is stumbling into something unexpected, but a few standout performances are already generating buzz across the arts community.

Here are several to keep on your radar:

• Handle with Care by Ontroerend Goed
• Adult Puppet Cabaret by Animal Cracker Conspiracy
• Choir! Choir! Choir! presented by ArtPower at UC San Diego
• Rhythm Delivered by DrumatiX

From a theatre experience that unfolds inside a box with no actors, to a cheeky puppet cabaret for grown-ups, the range is part of the appeal. Add in a fully participatory sing-along and high-energy tap and percussion, and you’ve got a lineup built on interaction and surprise.

A Campus-Wide Celebration of Creativity

The festival unfolds across UC San Diego’s campus, encouraging exploration between performances. It is part theatre crawl, part art walk, and part community gathering – all set against the coastal backdrop of La Jolla.

WOW Festival has built a reputation for showcasing work that feels fresh, surprising, and accessible to a wide range of ages and interests. Whether you plan your schedule in advance or wander into something unexpected, the spirit of the festival is about discovery.

See you there!

Four days, 20-plus artists, and an entire campus transformed into a stage – WOW Festival is one of those only-in-La Jolla experiences we look forward to every year.

📆 Thursday, April 23 – Sunday, April 26, 2026 | 8 AM – 5 PM
📍 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla
ℹ️ More info here

See you there, San Diego!