Contemporary Carnival as a Participatory Urban Ritual: The Case of the Fluxus Festival in Kaunas
Rūta Mažeikienė

Carnival as a cultural phenomenon has existed for centuries in both European and non-European contexts. Over time, it has evolved into a wide range of forms: from folk celebrations in rural areas to parades in major cities; from commercially driven mass events to community-based, grassroots initiatives; and from festivals rooted in cultural heritage to newly initiated contemporary urban events. In recent years, carnival has been reinterpreted not only as a popular or heritage-based event attracting tourists and local residents, but also as a socially engaged participatory art practice that fosters creativity, community engagement, and the reimagining of public space.
This presentation examines the contemporary urban carnival through the case of the Fluxus Festival in Kaunas. Initiated in 2018, the Fluxus Festival has grown into an annual community-based event inspired by the principles of the Fluxus movement, emphasizing playfulness, openness, co-creation, and the idea that everyone can be a creator. Its central element – the Fluxus Carnival procession – temporarily transforms a city street into a participatory, performative, and inclusive public space.
Drawing on theories of participatory art, the research shows that the Fluxus Festival functions as an effective participatory artistic practice that fosters a shared sense of belonging to the city. By ritualising collective creativity and transforming everyday urban space through performative action, contemporary carnival appears not only as entertainment but also as a socially transformative cultural practice with potential to promote community engagement, strengthen local identity, and create alternative experiences of public space.

Image: Fluxus Festival in Kaunas, 11 September 2021. Photo: Martynas Plepys. Courtesy of Kaunas Artists’ House