The Dark is a new annual festival from PS21 : Center for Contemporary Performance that celebrates and elevates the depths of winter. Taking place February 16–22, 2026, the festival will unfold at PS21 and across Columbia County—in theatres, restaurants, libraries, saunas, and outdoor public spaces. Featuring more than 60 international artists and over 80 performances, The Dark offers a packed week of world-class contemporary performance, installation, music, dance, and theatre—all exploring winter as a time of community and solitude, fire and ice, darkness and light.

A major new attraction for the region, the festival positions Columbia County as a year-round cultural destination—not just a summer one.

It is a light in the dark—and The Dark is the light.

Explore the full schedule and purchase tickets here:
https://ps21chatham.org/the-dark/