After a pandemic hiatus, the Sunlife Financial Waterloo Busker Carnival is back.
The event kicked off in Uptown on Thursday and will feature performers from around the world throughout the weekend.
More than 60 performances will be spread across three stages in Waterloo Public Square, City Hall and Regina Street.
Admission is free, but audience members are encouraged to drop a tip in the hat to show their appreciation.
Contortionist and hula hoop artist Lisa Lottie performs at the Waterloo Busker Carnival on August 27, 2022. “This festival is really special in our hearts,” said contortionist and hula hoop artist Lisa Lottie. “The response from everyone has been so positive and it’s just put a smile on my face and all the other buskers’ faces.”
“This is the kind we live for in the end. Live entertainment, live music, bringing people together.”
The 34th annual festival got off to a watery start on Thursday, but the event was undeterred by bad weather.
“It’s been very hard not to do that for the last two years,” Randy Warren said. “Even in November it was bad. We started planning, but we didn’t do a lot of planning. I think it was March before we finally felt it was good to go.”
A crowd takes in performances in a Waterloo square during the Waterloo Busker Carnival on Saturday, August 27, 2022. Tips donated during the Family Vaudeville show will go back to the festival to help plan next year’s event.
“We have a lot of special events [this year],” Warren said. “We have the debut of the kids on Friday, at the Buskermania camp. On Saturday and Sunday you can come down and learn how to be a busker in our circus workshops. On Sunday afternoon, when we wrap everything up, we have our Family Vaudeville show at 5 p.m. All the buskers get together and put on a big show.”
All events are scheduled to go ahead rain or shine.
