Second annual Buskers Festival brings new talent to Riverside Park

“Comedy, juggling, fire eating, fire-hands juggling, rubber chickens,” busker Greg Frisbee said as he explained his act.

Hailing from Florida, Frisbee has been touring with his show for about 15 years.

“I’m on the road about six months out of the year doing a variety of fairs and festivals across the US and usually a handful of International things throughout the year.”

He says festivals such as this one have become especially popular in Canada.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Adam Donnelly

“All the different provinces have different buskers festivals all across Canada,” Frisbee said. “In the US it’s not as prevalent, there’s a lot of street performing spots, but when it comes to actual buskers festivals there’s maybe only two or three across the US.”

This is the second year of the Kamloops festival and organizers hope to build upon the success of last year.

“I think the awareness is out there now and people kind of understand what a busker is and what they can expect to see and sort of that level of quality of the street performing, so I think it’s kind of piqued peoples’ interest and everybody’s keen to see what they’ll see next,” said Audrey Trim, Tournament Capital and Community Events Coordinator with the City.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Adam Donnelly

Other than last year’s People’s Choice winner, the festival features a brand new line up of buskers.

“Six brand new shows and just a variety of shows,” Trim said. “We have everything from a contortionist, to Greg Frisbee behind us, rubber chickens and juggling, and a magician, and it’s a really good variety.”

Also new this year is the Music Stage and Busk Stops open to amateur performers.

Main Stage performances begin in the afternoons and continue into the evenings.

by Jill Sperling

Second annual Buskers Festival brings new talent to Riverside Park

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