Stage Door News
Stage Door News
An eclectic lineup of street performers from around the globe converges on Woodbine Park in The Beach this Labour Day Weekend for the 18th annual Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy.
Acrobats, break dancers, comedians, clowns, jugglers, daredevils, fire manipulators, hula hoopers, musicians, magicians, high-skill circus performers, a 44-time Guinness World Record Holder and more are among the over 100 world-class performers in this year's line-up. The festival, a signature fundraising event for Epilepsy Toronto and the largest epilepsy event in the universe, will take place over the Labour Day weekend, Friday, September 1 to Monday, September 4.
Some of the NEW EVENTS happening for the first time at this year's Toronto International BuskerFest include:
* Step right up to the Little Big Top! This tented performance stage featuring exclusive shows by festival performers that won't be seen on any other stage (and a few special performers not appearing anywhere else in the festival). Combining a classic circus sideshow with some the most amazing modern talent you'll find anywhere, these shows can get a little wild, filled with magic and mayhem! The Little Big Top tent includes seating, air-conditioning and spectacular 15-minute performances all for the upfront price of $5. Running from 1pm to close of the festival each day!
* On Friday September 1, BuskerFest partners with the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) to create a truly unique Eid Festival in Toronto with the theme 'diversity is our strength.' After prayer services, which take place on the east side of Woodbine Park at 10:00am that morning, celebrants from diverse Muslim backgrounds join the festivities to take in rides, artisans, food vendors and over 100 performers from around the globe at BuskerFest 2017.
* Foodies rejoice! Pop-Up Dining comes to Woodbine Park! BuskerFest has teamed up with Chef Jagger Gordon to present a unique dining experience right in the heart of the festival. Gordon, the executive chef and brains behind Feed It Forward, brings his fresh, locally sourced, internationally inspired dining to BuskerFest for dinner on Saturday night as well as for Sunday Brunch! While enjoying Gordon's culinary creations, guests will be able to watch performances from their prime vantage point of seating right in the large Gazebo.
o Beat The Streets (Australia/ Morroco / Usa): Australia's leading dance entertainment company bring their high-energy, award-winning show to Toronto for the first time ever!
o Duo Hoops! (Montreal): David and Becky are a loveable, dynamic duo who come together to hula hoop (with hoops of all sizes), juggle and toss each other around.
o NorthFIRE (Toronto): NorthFIRE is a high-energy show with beautifully choreographed fire acts that will amaze. NorthFIRE features a diverse set of highly skilled variety circus performers who entertain with fire hoops, poi, staff, acrobatics and fire breathing.
o Strong Lady (UK): Betty Brawn is a STRONG LADY! You will laugh, you will gasp and you will ponder what is possible as you witness her genuine feats of strength!
Among the amazing RETURNING FAVOURITES included in this year's performer lineup are:
o Diogo Alvares (Brazil): A master manipulator, Diogo's show "Face to Face," is wordless with a musical backdrop. He builds a crowd simply with his incredible skills with cards, billiard balls and cigarettes to create a truly unique magic act.
o Duo ComicCasa (Israel / Switzerland): Hats will fly, ladders will be balanced and garbage bins will be used like youbve never seen before! And for their grande finale, they present: The Daredevil Plunger Throwing Act!
o Fraser Hooper (New Zealand): Boxing's Biggest Baddy, Fraser Hooper, challenges all comers in a three-round bout of pure comedy carnage. Get a ringside seat for a guaranteed belly-aching knockout performance.
o Shay Horay (New Zealand): He is renowned for natural physical comedy, comic timing and improvisational skills. Shay Horay is so funny he should have been twins! Horay, aka "The Famous Rubberband Boy," is the winner of the "Critics Choice Award" at the World Buskers Festival, and a Guinness World Record Holder.
o Silver Elvis (Toronto): Veteran street performer Peter Jarvis performs his unique version of the Memphis mechanical metal man, the most unique spin on Elvis you will ever witness.
o Victor Rubilar (Argentina): Last years People's Choice winner returns! With 18 international awards under his belt, 5 Guinness World Records for his soccer ball stunts, and shows in 42 countries, this international busking star will entertain Toronto audiences and amaze them with jaw-dropping world-class tricks.
In addition to these stellar acts, the festival features a plethora of roaming acts such as stilt walkers and contact jugglers, plus world-class balloon twisters, face painters, chalk-artists, living statues and a great variety of musical acts. Music acts will include performances by: Eighth Street Orchestra, Captain Cowboy and The Money Maker, Farrucas Latin Duo, Mellow Dee, OKA, Sing Along Tim & The Pacifiers and more to be announced.
Additionally, BuskerFest attendees can relax in the park while watching a great busking show and enjoy a beer at the Beer Garden, located right on the Gazebo platform in the heart of the action!
The popular Family Fun Zone returns! Face-painting, balloon twisting, giant games, CUPE Ontario's Photobooth VW Van, Bébe Station (an all-purpose tent for parents who need to nurse, bottle-feed or change their little ones while at an event) and the ever-popular Be A Busker area (an interactive area for kids to get hands-on experience in a few of the many busking arts) awaits the younger set. For those seeking a little thrill ride, a Midway with rides, games and bouncy castles will be located in the parking lot adjacent to the Family Fun Zone.
Come night fall, in addition to the great fire performers featured at the festival, guests will be treated to a dazzling display of laser graphics, cool beam effects and animations, projected right onto the large gazebo roof, presented by the festival's largest supporter, the Toronto Education Workers (CUPE Local 4400).
BuskerFest's Group Benefit Shows are always a lively and spontaneous collaboration featuring performances by an outstanding collection of festival performers. This year there will be two of them. The first takes place on Saturday, September 2 at 7:30pm, hosted by Shay Horay (a.k.a The Famous Rubberband Boy) and features a collection of performers from the festival's line-up and a fiery finale! The second, on Monday, September 4 at 5pm, includes the announcement of this year's People's Choice Award Winner. Thanks to the generosity of the performers, the hat from these shows will be donated entirely to Epilepsy Toronto.
Festival admission is by donation to Epilepsy Toronto, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping more than 40,000 Torontonians with epilepsy and their families through counselling, employment support, advocacy and education. Tips collected by the performers in their hats goes to the performers, except at designated benefit shows. Donations at the gate and collected by volunteers wearing Epilepsy Toronto T-shirts, go to Epilepsy Toronto.
For full info on all, please visit http://torontobuskerfest.com/.
And check out this video from last year's festival! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMKWjSboBpg&feature=youtu.be
Festival admission is by donation to Epilepsy Toronto, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping more than 40,000 Torontonians with epilepsy and their families through counselling, employment support, advocacy and education.
"Thanks to the generosity of BuskerFest visitors who donate to Epilepsy Toronto, we are able to provide much needed support to the 1-in-100 people in Toronto living with epilepsy," says Geoff Bobb, Executive Director of Epilepsy Toronto. "This is one of the most amazing festivals in Canada. We are incredibly excited about all of the international and Canadian performers who make this festival come alive and who share their talents at the festival in support of Epilepsy Toronto."
18th Annual Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy
Friday, September 1 - Monday, September 4, 2017
Woodbine Park in The Beach (1695 Queen Street East)
Friday, noon - 11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Monday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission by donation to Epilepsy Toronto
For more information, visit: www.torontobuskerfest.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BuskerFestToronto, Instagram & Twitter: @BuskerFestTO #BuskerFestTO #BuskersAtTheBeach
2017-08-30
Toronto: BuskerFest starts Friday through Labour Day at Woodbine Park