Buskerfest

Buskerfest is the name of a traveling festivals of buskers—street performers. Buskers in the festivals visit a series of host cities each summer. Host cities often shut down one of more blocks of a prominent downtown street for the festival.

Crowds gather to watch a busker perform on Yonge Street for Toronto's Buskerfest 2014.

None of the cities had their festivals in 2020.

host cityyears
held		notes
Ottawa1995–2019, 2021–
  • Unlike other cities Ottawa has a permanent pedstrian mall, and the festival is held there.[1]
  • Typically held for five days, the first week of August.
Toronto2000–2019, 2021–
  • Organized by and as a fundraiser for Epilepsy Toronto.
  • First hosted in 2000 at Nathan Phillips Square.[2]
  • In 2013 moved from the St Lawrence Market area to an entire kilometer of Yonge Street where the festival remained for 2014 and 2015
  • In 2016 moved to Woodbine Park in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood.
  • Currently runs for four consecutive days, ending on Labour Day.
Lawrence, Kansas2008–2019, 2021–
  • Features poets in addition to more traditional buskers.[3]
Long Beach, California2009–2019, 2021–
  • Held in early September.[4]
  • The festival is devoted solely to musical busking.[5]
Abingdon, Virginia2015–2019, 2021–
Denver, Colorado 2016-2019, 2021–

See also

References
  1. Kelly Snider (2014-08-01). "Buskerfest back in Ottawa". Orléans Star. Archived from the original on 2014-08-25. Over the last two decades, the Buskerfest has grown from a small event with local performers, to one of the biggest Busking events in the country.
  2. "More NEW and RETURNING Acts Announced for 15th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest in Support of Epilepsy Toronto August 21-24, 2014 Throughout the Downtown Yonge Neighbourhood (Queen St. to College St. and Surrounding Areas)". Scotiabank. 2014-07-29. Archived from the original on 2014-08-25. The 15th edition of Toronto's international street performers festival runs Thursday, August 21 to Sunday, August 24 throughout the Yonge Street corridor, from Queen to College Streets (which will be closed to traffic) and surrounding areas (including Trinity Square Park and Yonge-Dundas Square).
  3. Nadia Imafidon (2014-08-20). "The new kids on the block at the Lawrence Busker Fest". Lawrence Journal World. Archived from the original on 2014-08-25.
  4. "Long Beach Buskerfest, it's better than wooden nickels". Los Angeles Register. 2014-09-03. Archived from the original on 2014-09-05. Retrieved 2014-09-05.
  5. Jonathan Van Dyke (2014-09-04). "Buskerfest Puts Bow On Summer And Music Season In Downtown Long Beach". Gazette (Long Beach, California). Archived from the original on 2014-09-05. Buskerfest is the heart and soul of our SAM series," Downtown Long Beach Associates President & CEO Kraig Kojian said. "It perfectly combines emerging talent, a vibrant downtown neighborhood, Long Beach culture and sense of community into one awesome season finale.
  6. "Abingdon is seeking performing artists for the first annual Busker Fest". 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-02-09. "Busking" is an age-old tradition in which artists play publicly for tips, performing on street corners or wherever a crowd gathers. Musicians, acrobats, magicians, stiltwalkers, living statues and more – street artists add character and fun to their communities.
  7. "Abingdon, Virginia seeks performing artists for the first annual Main Street Busker Fest". Virtual Strategy magazine. 2015-02-06. Archived from the original on 2015-02-09. Retrieved 2015-02-08. This Labor Day weekend, the sidewalks of downtown Abingdon will be filled with weird, wonderful performing art during a brand new busker festival. The Main Street Busker Fest will be held Saturday September 5th, presented by Abingdon Main Street and the Abingdon Music Experience.
  8. "Union Station Buskerfest – August 1 – 4, 2019 | Denver, Colorado". Retrieved 2019-01-15.
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