11th Annual Toronto BuskerFest Runs 8/26-29

Scotiabank BuskerFest organizers have announced additional breathtaking new acts for the 11th year of North America's largest street performer festival. The 11th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest inhabits Toronto's historic St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood once again as buskers from all over the world take to the streets in support of Epilepsy Toronto for a wild four days of fun for all ages from Thursday, August 26 to Sunday, August 29. Last year's BuskerFest attracted over 1 million people, and this year promises to be even bigger, with over 100 top buskers from Canada, the United States, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Argentina, the Netherlands, England and more - 50% of them never before seen at the festival!

Joining those previously announced, these stunning street performers make their first-ever appearance at Scotiabank BuskerFest this year:

From the US: Stunt Double Circus features four "out of work stuntmen" performing death-defying stunts and high skill circus routines on the Cyr Wheel, the Russian Bar and some of the most extreme Pogo Tricks performed in the world!

From the Netherlands: Close Act's giant dinosaurs, standing approximately 18' tall and 20' long, forge through the crowds, amazing and mystifying onlookers as part of Saurus, the theatre company's larger-than-life prehistoric production!

From Australia: A unique blend of circus stunts, virtuosic violin and fire combine in Liqueur Flambé's musical comedy performance. Winner of the 2009 Best in the City award for Sydney's Best Street Performance!

From the US: America's Got Talent finalists the Calypso Tumblers have been wowing audiences in New York and Los Angeles with their fun, reggae-filled street acrobatics for over 20 years!

From Canada: Montreal's Cirque Éloize, whose groundbreaking performances recently seduced Broadway with Rain, will perform a special 'Sneak Peek' Benefit Show (Thurs. August 26 at 8pm) featuring excerpts from their newest show iD that combines the magic of the circus with the hard-hitting funk of urban dance and hip hop and will be opening at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts October 1st.

And newly announced BuskerFest returnees:

From Toronto: Hercini Arts returns to the fest with The Magical Music Box, a show that combines music with fantastic aerial and acrobatic stunts as beautiful bird-like creatures dance in and out of a giant jungle gym box.

From Australia: Didgeridoos, bamboo flutes, harmonica, slide guitar and more fill the air as OKA return like a boomerang from the land Down Under, taking you to the roots of the South Pacific.

From Quebec City: Kromatik will transform your face, body and soul with their magical colours. Performing for over 20 years throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Kromatik have earned a reputation as some of the most sought-after body art artists in the world. Become a piece of art for the day!

From Hamilton: Eleven-year-old fiddling sensation Liam McGlashon returns for his fourth year at BuskerFest, bringing east coast melodies to the big city.

From Toronto: PyRomeo returns to the festival with two shows; at night he will perform his solo show demonstrating his skills with blazing props in a lavish storm of fiery brilliance and during the day he will team up with his beloved in PyRomeo & Fueliette, a show especially for the family in the BuskerPlay area with circus skills, hoola-hooping and of course - fire!

From Toronto: Silver Elvis is the most unique spin on Elvis you will ever see, with a cash-activated metallic Elvis statue that magically comes to life with dynamic hip swivels and slick pompadour.

Joining the above are these previously announced hot acts, never-before-seen at BuskerFest:

From Australia: At the cutting edge of fire performance, FlameOz delivers highly skilled and uniquely choreographed fire shows. They've captivated audiences of all ages around the world with their dynamic fusion of fire manipulation, dance, acrobatics, martial arts and circus.

From the UK: Former National Gymnast and dancer Bendy Em will have you on the edge of your 'seat' as she comically bends and contorts her body into freakily mind-boggling positions. Watch Bendy Em squeeze herself into a 16 inch Perspex box balanced on a seven-foot rig!

From Argentina: Four-time Guiness world record breaker Victor Rubilar's soccer ball-juggling show mixes Latino soap opera with the passion of a football arena. "The things that Victor can do with a football are mesmerizing," says the Guiness Book of World Records. A family-friendly show everybody can enjoy.

From Canada: Quebec's palm-reading gypsy ventriloquist/dummy duo, Madam Bao and Cosma, offers an hilarious glance at what life has in store for you while Toronto's Suspended Animation Circus perform The 477th Greatest Show on Earth, moving through the festival suspended from a giant helium balloon! Aytahn Ross of Circus Montreal can be spotted performing elegant and silly shows daily in the BuskerPlay area, as well as in his installation piece "Authentic Circus Artist in Natural Habitat."

And some top performers from previous years already announced:

Toronto's own Aidan Orange balances a running lawn mower on his face and performs yo-yo and contortion tricks; English comedian Mat Ricardo, the gentleman juggler, entertains with impeccable style: the only performer in the world who will pull the tablecloth off the set table and then put it back on again(!); Whitby's Max T. Oz has performed his slick sleight-of-hand and hilarious antics at every single Toronto BuskerFest; New Zealand's Lurk is a "clown with a complex" - and impeccable stilt skills; the Quebec Russian Bar Trio, one of the most dangerous acts to be performed on the street, features a young woman performing aerial acrobatics from a bar only 4 inches wide, braced on the shoulders of two men; and more!

MORE THAN BUSKERS: The festival also includes vendors selling treasures from around the world, one-of-a-kind crafts and must-have purchases that you've never seen before. Food stalls offer everything from funnel cakes to souvlaki to roasted corn. Kids will have a blast at Scotiabank BuskerPlay, which features the TELETOON Most Awesome Summer Tour, free workshops in balloon twisting and face painting, crafts and more family fun.

ADMISSION: Pay-What-You-Can at the gate, in support of Epilepsy Toronto. Suggested donation: $5. Epilepsy Toronto is dedicated to the promotion of independence and quality of life for 40,000 Torontonians with epilepsy and their families, through counselling, information, and support.

There are three special benefit shows at the festival that also support Epilepsy Toronto: the spectacular annual Fire Show that showcases the 'hottest' fire performers at the fest (Fri. August 27 at 9:30pm - rain date August 28) including FlameOz and Suspended Animation Circus, the Grande Finale (Sun. August 29 at 6:30pm) where the winner of the Metro's People's Choice Award will be announced, and new this year, a special 'Sneak Peak' Benefit Show (Thurs. August 26 at 8pm) featuring Cirque Éloize who are scheduled to open the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts 2010 season this fall.

CONTEST: Scotiabank BuskerFest enthusiasts are invited to enter a draw for the chance to win a fabulous prize package of three-nights hotel stay in Toronto, two tickets to the 2011 BuskerBall, two tickets for VIP seats at the 2011 Fire Show and $500 spending money. To enter, visit www.torontobuskerfest.com. Contest entries end August 30, and a winner will be selecTed August 31, 2010.

EPILEPSY TORONTO: "One in every 100 Canadians experiences some form of epilepsy and for the past 11 years, Scotiabank BuskerFest has raised close to $1 million in support of Epilepsy Toronto," says Geoff Bobb, Executive Director of Epilepsy Toronto. "Through the generosity and support of festival spectators at Scotiabank BuskerFest, we can continue to help those living with epilepsy and their families as we have been doing for the past 50 years."

"At Scotiabank we are proud to have been part of this festival from the very beginning and look forward to this year's festival which promises an assortment of daredevils, magicians, circus acts, fire-breathers and more!" said John Doig, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Toronto Region. "Scotiabank BuskerFest is the largest epilepsy awareness event in the world, and through the pay-what-you-can admission helps support the estimated 40,000 Torontonians living with epilepsy and their families, through counselling, information, and support."

11th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest
Toronto International Street Performers Festival
Thursday, August 26 - Sunday, August 29, 2010
throughout the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood:
Front Street from Jarvis Street to Yonge Street, and all adjacent side streets
Thursday, noon - 10 p.m., Friday, noon - 11 p.m.,
Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission is by voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto.
www.torontobuskerfest.com, www.facebook.com/BuskerFestToronto.

To post a comment, you must register and login.