Dell’Arte International announced today its Mad River Festival has undergone a transformation — one that seeks to honor the ancestral land of the Wiyot Tribe on which the school resides, as well support the tribe's work to revitalize the Wiyot language, Soulatluk, by renaming the annual event.

The Baduwa’t (original name of the Mad River) Festival will run from July 14-18, and feature live theater, music and speakers. The five-day event is a collaboration between Dell’Arte, the Wiyot Tribe, Circus Nonsense and local organizations and artists.

“We’ve all experienced change this year, and an intention of this year’s festival is to be a reflection of some of those changes — not just for Dell’Arte, but with the broader community. And of course for people to come and have a really good time together,” said Dell’Arte's Collective Leadership Council member Maricela Aceves Wexler in a press release.

Tickets and program information will be available through the Dell’Arte box office and at dellarte.com. Attendance will be by reservation only and attendees and participants will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID-19 test result.

For more, read the full press release below:

BLUE LAKE, CA – Dell’Arte International is producing the five-day-and-night outdoor Baduwa’t Festival this summer, featuring live theatre acts, music and speakers. Formerly known as the Mad River Festival, Dell’Arte is partnering with the Wiyot Tribe, Circus Nonsense and other community partners and artists to reimagine and remember what a gathering of the people can be.

The Baduwa’t Festival opens in Dadiqhoughuk (Blue Lake) July 14-18. The lineup includes the Youth Ambassadors from Two Feathers Native American Family Services, Circus Nonsense, music from the Dell’Arte House Band, Red Light Cabaret performers and drag artists and an array of other local musical guests. There will be additional family-friendly activities during the day and community workshops leading up the event. More details will be announced at dellarte.com.

The festival name change was given final approval by Wiyot Tribal Chair Ted Hernandez, with input and advising from Wiyot Linguist Lynnika Butler, Wiyot Cultural Center Manager Marnie Atkins, Tribal Administrator Michelle Vassel and Wiyot Filmmaker Michelle Hernandez. Dell’Arte is honored to, in this small way, support the work of the Wiyot Tribe to revitalize the Wiyot language Soulatluk by using the original name of the Mad River, Baduwa’t, for the festival’s name.

Dell’Arte's Collective Leadership Council (CLC) members said changing the name of the festival had been proposed for many years. “It was clear that this was the year to embrace those ideas and put them into action,” said CLC member Elizabeth Colón Nelson.

“We’ve all experienced change this year, and an intention of this year’s festival is to be a reflection of some of those changes—not just for Dell’Arte, but with the broader community. And of course for people to come and have a really good time together,” said CLC member Maricela Aceves Wexler.

Tickets and program information will be made available through the Dell’Arte Box Office and website. Festival attendance will be by reservation only; tickets will be available June 7.

Safety related to COVID-19 remains among the highest priorities for Dell’Arte. As such, festival attendees and participants will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID-19 test result in order to attend. “These enhanced measures are out of respect and an abundance of caution for the health, safety and wellbeing of the community and our guests,” said Managing Director Alyssa Hughlett. Other enhanced safety measures and event management will be in place according to California Department of Public Health guidelines.