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.
  • 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.
  • 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.[1]
Long Beach, California2009–2019, 2021–
  • Held in early September.[2]
  • The festival is devoted solely to musical busking.
Abingdon, Virginia2015–2019, 2021–
  • First festival to be held over the Labor Day weekend, 2015.
Denver, Colorado 2016-2019, 2021–

See also

References
  1. 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.
  2. "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.
  3. 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 2022-06-10. 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.
  4. Kelly Snider (2014-08-01). "Buskerfest back in Ottawa". Orléans Star. Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. 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.
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