New Acts Announced for Scotiabank BuskerFest

Scotiabank BuskerFest organizers have announced additional breathtaking new acts for North America's largest street performer festival. The 12th annual Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of Epilepsy Toronto inhabits Toronto's historic St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood once again as buskers from all over the world take to the streets for four exciting days of fun for all ages from Thursday, August 25 to Sunday, August 28.

Last year's festival attracted over 1 million people, and this year promises to be even bigger, with over 100 top buskers from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States - many of them never before seen at the festival!

Joining those previously announced, these stunning street performers make their first-ever appearances at the festival this year:
From Spain: Adrián Conde offers a magic show seen through the eyes of a clown. This hilarious show placed second in the 2010 World Championships of Street Magicians in Germany and won Best Show at the International Clown Festival in Gran Canaria.
From the UK: Tumble Circus is a beautiful disaster in mid-air; a comedy aerial show with high physical skills driven by characters drawn from contemporary culture. Slapstick acrobatics, hazardous aerials, flying hula-hoops and more!
From the UK: Peter Snow presents a 'bloody boring magic show, performed by a dull and pretentious personality.' A veteran performer with over 30 years of street performing experience across three continents and seen by millions of people!
From the US: Lindsay Benner tells a story of love through the art of juggling balls, flaming teacups, knives and fire torches. The integration of theatre and variety arts is what makes this show really special.
From the U.S.: The Red Trouser Show is a high-energy acrobatic, juggling, comedy duo who have performed internationally since 2000. Their fun-filled awe-inspiring show culminates with a double flag handstand twenty feet in the air on an extension ladder!
From Canada: Axé Capoeira combines acrobatics, dance and music into a high-flying act bringing the Capoeria art form from the streets of Brazil to the streets of Toronto.

And newly announced Scotiabank BuskerFest returnees:
>From the Netherlands: Close-Act, the troupe behind 2010's incredible SAURUS, return with another incredible creature: XL-INSECTS, a larger-than-life spectacle of visual theatre, tower above the crowds and swarm through the streets.
From Toronto: The HerciniArts Collective returns with Gurgle, Splash!, a fun, interactive aerial show for "children" of all ages. Audiences delight as a 12-foot high fish tank comes to life with aerial sea creatures.
From Australia: The sword-swallowing Space Cowboy has amazed audiences in over 30 countries, twice won the Street Performance World Championships, toured with famous rock bands and holds seven world records for his bizarre skills.
From Toronto: The Funny Waiter spins plates, juggles rubber chickens, launches marshmallows, pulls the tablecloth from under a pitcher of water and makes lemonade for someone in the audience.
From the Netherlands: One of the world's finest fire breathers, Pyromancer mixes spectacular flames with humour and a playful, charming presence. A must-see show for all ages!

From Toronto: Ben Burland, aka The Ben Show, puts on an interactive comedy juggling stunt show complete with high energy vaudevillian balance feats, stylish juggling and one microscopic bicycle.
From Toronto: Internationally recognized mime artist Kate Mior has enthralled audiences globally and captivated their attention with her seamless blend of corporeal mime technique with traditional living statue.

Joining the above are these previously announced hot acts, never before seen at the Scotiabank BuskerFest:
>From Denmark: Internationally renowned clown, comic and acrobat, Mr. Toons, aka The Professional Idiot, unicycles, juggles and squeezes his body into a giant helium balloon in his wonderfully madcap act! A huge hit at festivals and on television shows around the world!
From the UK: The legendary Gazzo has been mixing comedy, magic and British charm for over 30 years into a must-see show. Most famous for his cups and balls routine, Gazzo has turned a classic magic effect into a hilarious, magnificent, gut-busting show.
From the U.S.: Leapin' Louie Lichtenstein, aka The Roping Fool, is the most explosive Lithuanian Jewish cowboy comedian to ever come out of Oregon. The eccentric Leapin' Louis combines physical comedy, improv, and world-class lasso and whip tricks.
From Canada: Alberta's chair-juggling duo The Chairmen offer a truly chair-raising experience, while Billy Kidd brings to magic what most magicians can't... a female twist. She is one of the few female magicians in the world and the first ever at this festival.
From Mexico: Charistmatic acrobat Pancho Libre astounds with his mind-boggling feats of circus stunts, fire manipulations, martial arts and humour. Be prepared to see a BIG Mexican hula hoop with more than one use, and a high-flying human flag.
From Japan: High energy acrobatic and juggling antics along with mime and magic happenings are Yoshi's forte. During this difficult time for Japan, Yoshi will make his way half way around the world in honour of his people and his craft.

And some top returning performers from previous years, already announced:
Australian fire dancers FlameOz perform a multi award-winning, tightly choreographed, action packed fire spectacle; U.S./Canadian circus-comedy foursome Stunt Double Circus perform death-defying, world record-breaking stunts - all while sporting killer moustaches; the United Kingdom's pint-sized contortionist Bendy Em comically bends her body into freakily mind-boggling positions and fits herself into a 16" plexiglass box; and Toronto's own one-man fire-juggling skateboard circus, Fireguy, mixes circus tricks and skateboard stunts for the skatest show on earth!

MORE THAN BUSKERS: The festival also includes vendors selling treasures from around the world, and one-of-a-kind artistic creations. Food stalls, many hosted by the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood's own outstanding restaurateurs, offer everything from funnel cakes to souvlaki to roasted corn. Kids will have a blast at Scotiabank BuskerPlay, which features the 2011 LEGO Ninjago 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. Epilepsy Toronto is dedicated to the promotion of independence and quality of life for 40,000 Torontonians with epilepsy and their families, through counseling, information and support.

There are three special benefit events at the festival that also support Epilepsy Toronto: the spectacular annual Fire Show showcases the 'hottest' fire performers at the fest (Fri. August 26 at 9:30pm - rain date August 27) including FlameOz, Pyromancer, and Fireguy; the Scotiabank BuskerBrunch (Sat. August 27 at 10:30am at the Novotel Toronto Centre) features special entertainment by some of the festival's out-of-town buskers and a charity silent auction; and the Grande Finale group show (Sun. August 28 at 6:30pm) where the winner of the Metro's People's Choice Award is announced.

EPILEPSY TORONTO: "One in every 100 Canadians experiences some form of epilepsy and for the past 12 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."

12th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest
Toronto International Street Performers Festival
Thursday August 25 - Sunday August 28, 2011
throughout the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood,
Front Street all the way from Jarvis to Yonge and adjacent side streets
Thursday noon-10pm, Friday noon-11pm, Saturday 11am-11pm. Sun 11am-8pm
Admission is by voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto
For information, visit www.torontobuskerfest.com http://www.facebook.com/BuskerFestToronto