Festigal

Festigal (Hebrew: פסטיגל) is an annual Israeli song and dance musical show for children. Festigal is held every year at Hanukkah time, during the school vacation. It began as a song contest but the format gradually changed to include performances by well-known Israeli singers and actors.^[1] Each year's event is built around a particular theme or story.

History

The first Festigal took place in the city of Haifa in 1981, conceived by entertainment producer Miki Peled, who later to be joined by his son, Yaron Peled. Since then, it has been held in venues nationwide. It is among the largest events during Hanukkah. For example, in 2006, about 18 million NIS were allocated for the concerts.^[1]^[2] The show was directed by Hanoch Rosen from 1997 until 2023.^[3]

Theme songs

2002–2015: Adapted international pop songs

Between 2002 and 2015, each Festigal featured a Hebrew adaptation of a popular international song, or a Hebrew remake of an older Israeli song.

2002: "The Ketchup Song" – שיר הקטשופ
2003: "Around the World" (Israeli Song) – סביב כל העולם
2004: "Dragostea din tei" – נומה נומה היי
2005: "Holding Out for a Hero" – גיבור על העולם .^[4]
2006: "The Final Countdown" – פסטיגל פנטזיה
2007: "Major Tom (Coming Home)" – זמן זה כוח
2008: "Can You Feel It" – תפוס ת׳פסטיגל
2009: "I'm So Excited" – תנו ברגליים
2010: "The Rhythm of the Night" – לילה מטורף בפסטיגל
2011: "Mr. Saxobeat" – פסטיגלi
2012: "Livin' la Vida Loca" – ספיי פסטיגל
2013: "Euphoria" – אקס פסטיגל
2014: "When the Rain Begins to Fall" – זמן משחקי הפסטיגל
2015: "Heroes"^[5] – עכשיו זה היי סקול פסטיגל

2016–present: Original Hebrew theme songs

Beginning in 2016, Festigal returned to original Hebrew theme songs written specifically for each year's storyline.^[6]

2016: "Singing Together" –שרים ביחד; lyrics: Uri Gross; music: Aviv Koren
2017: "A Legend from Now" – אגדה מעכשיו; lyrics: Uri Gross; music: Loran De Paz
2018: "Freestyle Festigal" – Freestyle פסטיגל; lyrics and music: Doron Medalie
2019: "Connecting to Life" – להתחבר לחיים; lyrics and music: Doron Medalie
2020: "MY Festigal" – lyrics and music: Doron Medalie
2021: "Sky High" – lyrics and music: Ron Biton and Itay Shimoni
2022: "Festigal on Festigal – The Fantasy Comes to Life" – פסטיגל על פסטיגל- הפנטזיה מתעוררת לחיים; lyrics and music: Ron Biton and Itay Shimoni
2024: "Sing Festigal – Let the Music Connect Us" — Sing פסטיגל – תנו למוזיקה לחבר בינינו; lyrics and music: Ron Biton and Itay Shimoni
2025: "Awakening to Life" – להתעורר לחיים (IMAGINE Festigal); lyrics: Uri Orien; music: Amir Lekner

Themes

From 1984, Festigal has had a different theme each year. For example, in 2010, the theme was the story of two kids lost in a museum at night with the exhibits coming to life and showing pieces of history (based on the 2006 film Night at the Museum). In 2015, the show had a high school theme loosely based on the Fame franchise and the TV show Glee.^[7]

List of themes

1984: Channel 1
1985: Robots
1986: Radio broadcasting
1987: Saving the Garden from Demolition
1988: The Light Kingdom
1989: Family
1990: Fight of the Festigal
1991: Hanny'le and the Saturday Dress
1992: To Be a Star
1993: Father and Daughter at Festigal
1994: Television
1995: Animals
1996: Circus – מורידים את הכוכבים מהשמיים
1997: Amusement park – כי העולם שייך לילדים
1998: Dreams – הבחירה של הילדים
1999: Millennium – הפסטיגל של המילניום הבא
2000: Toys – צעצוע של פסטיגל
2001: Telenovela – פלאנובלה של פסטיגל
2002: Cinematography – פסטיגל מהסרטים
2003: World Tour – פסטיגל סובב עולם
2004: Fairy tales – לא יאומן כי פסטיגל
2005: Superheroes – פסטיגל גיבורי על^[8]
2006: Fantasy – פסטיגל גיבורי הממלכה האבודה
2007: Time travel – פסטיגל על הזמן
2008: Underwater – תפוס ת׳פסטיגל – הרפתקה במצולות
2009: Kung fu – קונג פו פסטיגל
2010: History – לילה מטורף בפסטיגל
2011: Cyberspace – איי פסטיגל
2012: Spying – ספיי פסטיגל
2013: The Four Elements – אקס פסטיגל
2014: The Hunger Games – משחקי הפסטיגל
2015 and 2016: High school – היי סקול פסטיגל / היי סקול פסטיגל 2: הגמר הגדול
2017: Urban legend – סטורי של פסטיגל
2018: Dance – FreeStyle# פסטיגל
2019: Cyberspace – פסטיגל Play
2020: 40th Anniversary – פסטיגל My
2021: Angels – פסטיגל Sky High
2022: Parallel Universes — פסטיגל על פסטיגל^[9]
2024: Music — SING פסטיגל^[10]
2025: Imagine — פסטיגל אימג'ין^[11]

References

1 2 "The Festigal audience never gets older", The Jerusalem Post, 31 December 2006
↑ "Festigal home page". Archived from the original on 9 August 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
↑ "פרסום ראשון: חנוך רוזן עוזב את הפסטיגל אחרי 15 שנה". mako. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
↑ Pitchford's and Steinman's classic famous title Holding Out for a Hero has been chosen to lead the annual Festigal song contest
↑ Israel: "Heroes" goes to high school as Festigal theme
↑ "מרבקה זהר ועד סטטיק ובן אל: האבולוציה של הפסטיגל" [From Rebecca Zohar to Static and Ben El: The Evolution of Festigal]. Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 23 November 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2026.
↑ Yissar, Eli. "The Blogs: The Festigal Must Go On!". Retrieved 24 January 2026.
↑ "Short on substance at Festigal". jpost.com. 1 October 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
↑ "N12 - אנה זק וסנדרה שדה: כל הפרטים על פסטיגל 2022 - והמחווה". Archived from the original on 5 April 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
↑ "פסטיגל סינג 2024" [Festival Sing 2024]. children-theatre.com (in Hebrew). Retrieved 25 February 2025.
↑ "פסטיגל 2025 – אימג'ין" [Festigal 2025 – Imagine]. Festigal Official Website (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 December 2025.

[jp-1] 1 2 "The Festigal audience never gets older", The Jerusalem Post, 31 December 2006

[2] "Festigal home page". Archived from the original on 9 August 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2011.

[3] "פרסום ראשון: חנוך רוזן עוזב את הפסטיגל אחרי 15 שנה". mako. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.

[4] Pitchford's and Steinman's classic famous title Holding Out for a Hero has been chosen to lead the annual Festigal song contest

[5] Israel: "Heroes" goes to high school as Festigal theme

[6] "מרבקה זהר ועד סטטיק ובן אל: האבולוציה של הפסטיגל" [From Rebecca Zohar to Static and Ben El: The Evolution of Festigal]. Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 23 November 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2026.

[7] Yissar, Eli. "The Blogs: The Festigal Must Go On!". Retrieved 24 January 2026.

[8] "Short on substance at Festigal". jpost.com. 1 October 2005. Retrieved 24 January 2026.

[9] "N12 - אנה זק וסנדרה שדה: כל הפרטים על פסטיגל 2022 - והמחווה". Archived from the original on 5 April 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.

[10] "פסטיגל סינג 2024" [Festival Sing 2024]. children-theatre.com (in Hebrew). Retrieved 25 February 2025.

[11] "פסטיגל 2025 – אימג'ין" [Festigal 2025 – Imagine]. Festigal Official Website (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 December 2025.

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