The Porsgrunn International Theatre Festival takes place every June and transforms the compact city centre into an outdoor performance space for a week. Street performers, circus acts, physical theatre companies, and clowns from across Europe converge on the waterfront and the main squares for shows that range from intimate pieces in small venues to large-scale spectacles that fill the streets.
The festival has run since the 1980s and has developed into one of the more respected street theatre festivals in Scandinavia. Most performances are free or low-cost, making it an excellent reason to time a visit to Porsgrunn for mid-June. The waterfront location adds to the atmosphere, with boats on the river and performances spilling across both banks.