I am familiar with the Denver event, and also dailies at Jackson Square and Mallory Square. Are ( or have there been)there any other organized street performer festivals in the US .

Your timing is perfect. hahah We are actually having a SMALL busking festival in Lititz, Pennsyvania Friday night Oct 10th. There will be magicians, musicians, jugglers, mimes, fire eaters, and other performers.

Should be fun!

So Mark what did you think of the festival?

I enjoyed the festival, but then I was a performer. Main Street was full of people who wanted to have a good time. I'd be interested in hearing what people thought who were there as spectators and not performers.

Uncle Yodie

Mark,
I will try to PM you

Well??? So what did you think?

Mark.

I thought the Lititz festival was good in terms of public turn out.

I think the organization of it was a little off. The event organizers had the performers moving locations after an hour or so... which I can see what they were trying to do - spread it out and mix things up... but I think by doing so, they took a 4 hour event and effectivly cut out 1 hour of performing time due to the buskers having to pack up and walk several blocks to find the new spot.

I also think they should have considered the room needed by the performers when they assigned the spots - many were crammed into alcoves and ended up creating people flow issues which the police kept coming along asking people to get out of the street and stay on the sidewalks.

Overall, it was Lititzs first attempt at such an event - and I applaud them for doing the busking approach. Next year I hope it is more organized - or at least let the buskers do what they know how to do and not try to dictate when and where as much...

If you have any contact information for them, send them my e-mail address. I organized the Texas Renaissance Festival for 2 years. I know how to schedule acts AND how to move them without it messing things up too much.

Have there been any other events in the US, or are more scheduled

The Denver Buskerfest hasn't happened in over 4 years...It used to be the largest in the USA...The guy running the show (forget his name at the mo) ran into contractual disagreements with the city vending laws. The Buskerfest, started in Boulder by Johnny Foxx, has enjoyed such names as Mad Chad Taylor, Gazzo, Puke and Snot among many others. After the Buskerfest left Boulder and joined the corporate level, I was afraid something like this would happen.