Juggling festival

The 2025 Humboldt Juggling Festival will take place April 18 to 20. This event features juggling, spinning, hooping, clowning, acrobatic yoga, unicycles, comedy and much more. A variety of workshops are also planned

The Humboldt Juggling Festival gala show, “Seananigans,” is set for April 19 at 7 p.m. at the D Street Neighborhood Center, 1301 D St., Arcata. The suggestion donation to event is $10 to $20 general, up to $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and under.

The show and festival are funded by donations, so giving is encouraged. For more information about the workshop and performance schedules, visit http://www.HumboldtJugglingSociety.org.

Cumbia band

Makenu returns to the Carlo Theatre, 131 H St. in Blue Lake, on May 3. The show takes places that night from 8 to 11 p.m.

Makenu is a vibrant, psychedelic cumbia band that blends the traditional rhythms of cumbia with a wide array of modern influences.

Formed in Humboldt County in 2021, the band unites musicians from Chile, Argentina, Perú, Puerto Rico and California, each bringing their own musical background and energy to create an electrifying fusion that transcends borders and cultures.

Their performances are immersive, high-energy celebrations where every beat invites audiences to dance and connect. Fusing traditional cumbia with elements of ska, hip hop, rock, Latin American music and tropical vibes, Makenu’s music is an irresistible blend of catchy rhythms, hypnotic melodies and electrifying soundscapes.

Tickets are $20, and can be purchased at https://dellarte.networkforgood.com/events/84659-makenu-psychedelic-cumbia.

Short Play Festival

EXIT Theatre Arcata’s third annual “Short Play Festival” will be held June 19 to 29. Performances will take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at EXIT Theatre, 890 G St., Arcata.

Tickets are $20 and are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/2025-short-play-festival-4174333 or via cash at the door, with reservations at mail@theexit.org.

This year’s festival received close to 300 plays for consideration from local, national and international playwrights. The full-stage productions of the 12 chosen plays will feature local actors, directors and technicians.

The following plays will see their Humboldt County premieres:

First weekend: “The Meadow,” Ryan Kaminski, Flemington, New Jersey; “Gram Scams,” Cary Pepper, San Francisco; “Nothing Got,” Straton Rushing, Phoenix, Arizona; “Lord Goose,” Maury Zeff, San Francisco; “Riding Lessons,” Brett Hursey, Farmville, Virginia; “The Boat Man,” Bruce Bonafede, Palm Springs.

Second weekend: “This Isn’t Normal!,” Daniel Lehman, Arcata; “Gimme Shelter,” Robert Weibezahl, Westlake Village; “The Grief Onion,” Marc Gabriel, Arcata; “Every Sheep Counts,” Evan Baughfman, Long Beach; “Harken To Me,” Alex Wilkie, Moorestown, New Jersey; and “Amnesty Weekm” Loretta Bolger Wish, Manasquan, New Jersey.

EXIT Theatre was founded in 1983 and operates theaters in Arcata and San Francisco. Its mission is to provide opportunities for artists to perform and to develop an audience for that performance.’

For more information about EXIT Theatre’s current and upcoming events, visit www.theexit.org.