When streets gain life

Busker Fest is an annual street performers' festival that takes place at different locations in Canada. This year, the event was at Dundas Street – at the centre of the beautiful town of Toronto. The purpose of Busker Fest is to showcase the world's best street performances to city dwellers and visitors alike.

The idea and initiative to stage the World Buskers' Festival came from a group of local street performers who were very vocal about their exclusion from festivals. They wanted a festival of their own and for other artists like them to feature their talents in an organised manner with a "mission to present and celebrate street performance as an art form and be treated with due respect”.

The festival is free but the audience members are encouraged to show their appreciation by dropping any amount into the hats; any amount not less than a dollar that is!

The 2014 Dundas International Busker Fest was sponsored by Scotia Bank from 21 to 24 August and included artists from six countries -- acrobats, contortionists, hula-hoopers, magicians and jugglers, and many more individual performers joined this programme. For example, one senior gentleman brought his giant dog with a strange outfit to showcase the performance of his beloved pet. A lady painted her body in colours to amuse the onlookers.

At the fest, all of the presenters showed their skills in a very funny way, interacting with the viewers. At the end of one show, the performers said to the audience, "We are not beggar; we are PROFESSIONAL beggars!"
The beauty of each performance was the comical engagement with the audience while still respecting all age groups. The respect for the senior citizens, young population and mothers was everywhere. People of all ages were present to watch the performances. Busker Fest is all about laughing and engaging yourself with the outrageous comedy and incredible shows!

During the event, some roads were closed for vehicle movement. The overall event was managed by the city council with the help of a bunch of very active volunteers, who were relentlessly helping with information booths and removing the garbage from the streets. The small stalls of different ethnicities sold souvenirs and interesting items, promoting their own culture. Vendor stalls of food items were all over the place. It was like our winter 'mela', but with more discipline and professionalism, and better coordination.