The main idea of the festival is to bring together a diverse group of people in the name of a common goal and help them perceive the surrounding environment from a different perspective. Street games refer to a wide range of adventurous and playful activities mainly practised outdoors, like treasure hunts or urban sports. While more complicated games might require technical solutions and the involvement of hundreds of people, then simpler ones call for nothing else but chalk, asphalt, and a couple of good friends. Street games are one of the most convenient ways to spend time together outdoors. The best part – games know no age, origin, language, or cultural boundaries.
The Street Games Festival is organized by the collective of Polish game developers and producers, Departament Gier, who have created over a hundred street and board games. In collaboration with local experts, European designers will create games that emphasize the values of Tartu 2024 and the historical and cultural peculiarities of the region. Thus, the games being developed provide an excellent opportunity for tourists and locals to get familiar with Tartu in a way that is both enlightening and exciting. The games address interpersonal, intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and interregional connections, exploring these themes in an original and fun manner.
Before the festival, there will be an international call for game designers and a camp where game masters can introduce themselves to each other and give the finishing touches to their creations. During the four-day festival, Tartu will host nearly 15 games, offering activities suitable for everyone – families with children, cyclists, night owls, or tourists. Additionally, there will be a meta-game throughout the festival that connects all the individual events, allowing participants to earn extra points. The event concludes with an after-party where players can share impressions with each other and the designers in a cosy atmosphere. Let the games begin!
