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AACTFEST: AACT’S NATIONAL COMMUNITY THEATRE FESTIVAL

Celebrating the art of community theatre across America

 

Current & Upcoming AACTFest Cycles

 

AACTFest 2027

Rochester, Minnesota
June 16–19, 2027

Festival details, registration timelines, adjudicator nominations, and updates for the next national AACTFest cycle.

Explore AACTFest 2027 

YouthFest 2027

Rochester, Minnesota
June 13–15, 2027

A national celebration of youth theatre, featuring performances and opportunities for schools and youth organizations.

Explore YouthFest 2027 

Looking for a Recent Festival Example?

Explore highlights, schedules, and resources from our most recent national festival to get a feel for the AACTFest experience.

View AACTFest 2025 

Adjudicator Nominations

 
New This Year!

AACT is now accepting nominations for the National AACTFest Adjudication Panel for AACTFest 2027. We are seeking strong, experienced candidates to serve as adjudicators. A total of three main adjudicators and one alternate will be selected.

Do you know someone perfect for this role? Nominate them—or nominate yourself!

Selection & Support
  • An honorarium
  • Covered travel and lodging
  • A per diem for meals and incidentals
Nomination Deadline: January 31, 2026
AACT Festival adjudicators

Why AACTFest?

 

AACTFest exists to celebrate, elevate, and connect community theatre at the national level. It provides a unique opportunity for theatres to share their work beyond their local communities while learning from peers across the country.

Through a structured state, regional, and national festival process, AACTFest highlights exceptional productions that represent the diversity, creativity, and passion of community theatre today. The festival is designed not only to recognize excellence, but to foster growth through thoughtful adjudication, shared learning, and meaningful exchange.

Whether you’re a performer, director, designer, administrator, or volunteer, AACTFest offers an environment that supports artistic development, professional connection, and a deeper sense of belonging within the national theatre community.

How AACTFest Works

 

AACTFest follows a multi-level festival cycle that begins locally and culminates in a national celebration of community theatre excellence.

Theatre companies first participate in their State and Regional AACT festivals, where productions are adjudicated and recognized for artistic achievement. Each region advances its top-honored production to the national level.

These selected companies come together at AACTFest to present their work on a national stage, representing the strongest community theatre productions from across the country and U.S. Military theatres overseas.

Throughout the festival, participants engage in performances, adjudications, educational workshops, and networking opportunities designed to encourage growth, learning, and connection at every level of experience.

What to Expect at AACTFest

 

AACTFest is more than a series of performances—it’s a full festival experience designed to inspire, educate, and connect the community theatre field.

  • National theatre performances showcasing top-honored productions from AACT’s state and regional festivals
  • Adjudicated performances with thoughtful feedback focused on learning and growth
  • Educational workshops and sessions led by experienced theatre artists and administrators
  • Networking opportunities with theatre-makers, volunteers, and leaders from across the country
  • Awards and recognition celebrating excellence in performance, direction, design, and technical achievement

Getting Started

 

The path to the national stage starts at the local level.

Theatre companies begin their AACTFest journey by participating in their State and Regional AACT festivals. Each state and region manages its own festival process, timelines, and requirements, which ultimately lead to qualification for the national festival.

Looking for an example of what to expect? You can explore the 2025 Festival Handbook for an overview of typical guidelines, schedules, and festival information. The AACTFest 2027 Festival Handbook will be released in Summer 2026.

Need help getting started or finding your state contact?
📧 Contact Festival Coordinator Mary Jo DeNolf at Maryjo@aact.org 

A Look Back: Past AACTFest Celebrations

 

AACTFest has a rich history of bringing community theatre to the forefront of national recognition. Learn more about the History of AACTFest .

AACTFest 2025 | Des Moines, IA 

AACTFest 2025
Des Moines, IA

AACTFest 2023 | Louisville, KY 

AACTFest 2023
Louisville, KY

Virtual AACTFest 2021 

Virtual AACTFest 2021
Online

AACTFest 2019 | Gettysburg, PA 

AACTFest 2019
Gettysburg, PA

AACTFest 2017 | Rochester, MN 

AACTFest 2017
Rochester, MN

And many more! For a complete history of AACTFest, explore our History of AACTFest .