Mayor Launches 2010 Scotiabank BuskerFest 8/26-29

The 11th annual Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of Epilepsy Toronto is just around the corner, starting one week from today from August 26 -29 throughout Toronto's St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. Front Street from Jarvis to Yonge and adjacent side streets will be closed to traffic to accommodate the more than one million people expected to attend over the 4 days of this stunning street performers festival.

The official Launch runs from noon to 1pm on Thursday August 26 when Mayor David Miller launches the festival at Church and Market St. along with John Doig, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Toronto Region, and some of this year's featured performers, including Montreal's Cirque Éloize (who are slated to open the newly-renovated Sony Centre October 1-9), the Netherlands' giant dinosaur Saurus and a very special appearance by Toronto's Suspended Animation Circus on a giant helium balloon!

Gifted 19-year-old Australian guitarist Kim Churchill, the U.K.'s Mat Ricardo (the only person in the world able to put the tablecloth back on the table once they have done the standard trick), and Toronto blues musician Jim Armstrong (who himself has epilepsy) are also among the performers appearing at the Launch.

Scotiabank BuskerFest promises to be even bigger and more exciting than ever before, with over 100 of the best street performers from Canada , the United States, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Argentina, the Netherlands, and England, 50% of whom have never before been seen at Scotiabank BuskerFest.

Scotiabank BuskerFest offers something for everyone - jaw-dropping acts for audiences of all ages, great activities for kids in Scotiabank BuskerPlay, cool contests, spectacular fire performances, a new beer garden, delicious food choices - and just plain fun!

Some of the performers making their first-ever appearances this year at Scotiabank BuskerFest:
o 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!

o 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!

o From Japan: Witty Look combines the greatest skills of unicycle and acrobat with a hilarious, mischievous clown. The duo presents a comical, smart and exciting show loved by people around the world.

o 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!
o 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!

o From Northern Ireland: That Man presents a wordless performance of charming virtuosity and high skill. Not really a juggling show, more like a projectile assault on Gravity. First time coming to Canada, and even North America!

o 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.
o 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!
o 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.
o From Toronto: Suspended Animation Circus perform aerials and acrobatics as part of The 477th Greatest Show on Earth while moving through the festival suspended from a giant helium balloon!
o 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 some returning BuskerFest favourites:
o 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.
o 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.
o 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!
o 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!
o From Quebec: 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.
o From the UK: 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!

o From Hungary: Mr. Istvan presents his fabulous and surprising show, which will take you through the land of illusion and a whole new reality where everything is possible by pure "magic".
o From New Zealand: Watch as Lurk, a "clown with a complex" standing three metres tall, inhabits public places and tries not to be noticed. It quickly becomes apparent that this show is like no other.

In addition, a number of special performances are happening this year:

On Thursday, August 26 at 8pm, Cirque Éloize will perform a "sneak peek" benefit show at the Metro Stage in Berczy Park featuring excerpts from iD, which opens the Sony Centre for the Performing Art's 2010 season on October 1.

The Fifth Annual Fire Show combines the best of all the Festival's fire acts, and features FlameOz, Arizona Jones, Liqueur Flambé, Aidan Orange, PyRomeo and a special appearance by Suspended Animation Circus. The Fire Show takes place Friday, August 27 at 9:30pm (rain date: Saturday, August 28) at the Scotiabank Stage (Front and Church St).

Scotiabank BuskerFest ends with the Grande Finale on Sunday, August 29 at 6:30pm at the Metro Stage in Berczy Park, featuring performances by some of the festival's top international performers. The winner of this year's Metro People's Choice Award will be awarded to the act who receives the most audience votes.

Normally buskers keep the proceeds that they gather after a performance but, for these three special performances, all proceeds go to Epilepsy Toronto, and Scotiabank has generously offered to match each dollar donated at the fire show!

Not only is Scotiabank BuskerFest now the largest street performers' festival in North America, it is also the largest Epilepsy awareness-raising event in the world. More than one million spectators are estimated to attend Scotiabank BuskerFest this year. Volunteers will be standing by entrances, accepting donations on behalf of Epilepsy Toronto as crowds come and go.

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.