Baduwa't Festival

A Gathering of the People

Formerly known as the Mad River Festival, the Baduwa’t Festival is a culmination of performing arts, music, celebration and connectivity, held on the ancestral lands of the Wiyot Tribe. In Soulatluk, the Wiyot language, Baduwa’t is the word for Mad River. The festival name change was approved by Wiyot leaders in Spring 2021 and Dell’Arte is honored to support the work of the Wiyot Tribe to revitalize the language by using the original name of the river for the festival name.

2025 Festival Overview

Dell’Arte has been serving Humboldt County for five decades with cutting edge, ensemble-created physical “theater of place,” professional training, community engagement programs, and live performance. This summer Dell’Arte International presents the 35th Baduwa’t Festival, its annual summer festival of theater, entertainment, music, and performance.

This year the festival features a Dell’Arte Company mainstage show: Love’s The Best Doctor, an adaptation of the comedy by Moliére. Other events include: a screening of the Baduwa’t Documentary; the Red Light Cabaret; the Humboldt FolkLife Festival, and a jam-packed week of live music presented by Humboldt Folklife Society, a film and talk showcasing the work of our Prison Arts Program, and more. Hope to see you there!

2025 Schedule

June 20–22, 27–29, July 5–6 — 8:00pm — Love's the Best Doctor - Dell’Arte Company [Single Tickets] [Friends of Dell'Arte Passport]
Kick off the summer with healing laughter as Michael Fields directs a cast of Dell'Artians in an adaptation of a classic comedy by Moliére. Modern life infuses classic commedia comic satire as actors tear up the stage with physical antics, desperate dreams, and comedic precision in a play full of the kind of people you'll recognize. Original music played by the amazing house band.

July 12 — 7:30pm — Screening: Baduwa't Documentary [Single Tickets] [Friends of Dell'Arte Passport] This film tells the powerful story of the Baduwa’t River—its deep importance to our community, its uncertain future, and the urgent need to Restore, Reclaim, and Protect it for generations to come. A project of the Baduwa’t Watershed Council, co-directed and produced by Michelle Hernandez and Dave Feral. A discussion follows the screening.

July 18–19— 8:00pm — Red Light in Blue Lake Cabaret by Dell'Arte & Guests [Single Tickets] [Friends of Dell'Arte Passport] An audience favorite returns! Steam up your summer night with a melange of acts from favorite local performers showcasing the bold and the beautiful, the outré and the risqué, the silly and the stupid. Backed by a fantastic band, it’s not one to miss. Special cabaret seating available.

July 22–26 — Humboldt Folklife Festival [Tickets & Info]
Dell’Arte hosts the beloved festival that shows off the amazingly talented musicians who make music here in Humboldt. From songwriters to bluegrass to Beatles sing-a-longs and more. Evening concerts will be in the Carlo and the Rooney and Free Day will have two outdoor stages.

August 1 — 7:30pm —Screening: DAI Prison Arts Program Documentary [Single Tickets] [Friends of Dell'Arte Passport]
For almost 10 years, Pelican Bay State Prison has been a satellite classroom of Dell’Arte. Featuring in-person classes throughout the “school year”, both in this time and during lockdowns —including COVID—the Prison Arts Program has brought in our MFA students, shows, guest teaching artists for exchange with our students who are incarcerated. This new documentary shows the experience in the words of those students and highlights the importance of creativity and expression for all. A discussion follows the screening.

August 3 — 11:00am — Annie & Mary Day Parade [Information]
Dell’Arte participates in the lineup as a part of this Blue Lake tradition. Every year since 1967, the Blue Lake Chamber has sponsored Annie and Mary Day. Annie and Mary Day is a celebration of the historic Arcata Mad River Rail Line, named after Annie Carroll and Mary Buckley, two bookkeepers who were employed by the railroad around the year 1907. The annual event features a parade, music, food & drink, car show and family fun!