
eVenti Verticali
Presents SPHERE
Friday, June 12: 9:20 p.m. – 9:50 p.m.
Saturday, June 13: 12:55 p.m. – 1:25 p.m., & 9:20 p.m. – 9:50 p.m.
Sunday, June 14: 12:55 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.

About SPHERE
After spellbinding performances at LakeFest 2018, the gravity-defying Italian aerialists return with SPHERE, a thrilling new spectacle featuring dancers suspended 60 feet above the ground. Combining street theater and vertical dance, SPHERE takes the audience on a unique journey of hope, destruction, and rebirth, prompting reflection on the fragility of life and our impact on Earth.
Sphere is a powerful environmental-themed performance that tells the story of a lone astronaut who, discouraged by the devastation of Earth caused by environmental degradation and over-reliance on technology, embarks on a mission to seed a new planet. In the silence of space, the seed grows, becoming SPHERE, a new planet inhabited by aerial dancers. Life on the planet flourishes, observed from four moons that watch over its growth. But when SPHERE reaches its peak, man’s greedy instincts threaten to extinguish this spark of life. The astronaut, blinded by his lust, drains SPHERE’S life energy, but the planet’s inhabitants do not give up. Together, they find new strength and prepare to return home to Earth.
Festival Hours:
Friday, June 12:
5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 13:
11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 14:
11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Columbia Festival of the Arts - FREE LakeFest Weekend
The Merriweather Arts & Culture Center (MACC) is proud to present the Columbia Festival of the Arts annual FREE LakeFest Weekend June 12-14, 2026! We’re ready to jumpstart your summer with a free, three-day extravaganza featuring multiple performances from the vertical dance company EVENTI VERTICALI (Italy), live music on the new LakeStage, an invitational fine arts and crafts show, food trucks, a beer & wine garden, participatory workshops, and a variety of activities for all ages. #YourSummerStartsHere
