Saturday, August 13, 2011

A visit to St. Catharines BuskerFest 2011 - 13 August 2011

Today I visited the first BuskerFest in Downtown St. Catharines, Ontario. It was a beautiful day and the downtown was a busy place with buskers, vendors and the public.



Below is a video of some of the action and a few photos for those that don't watch videos.

Video


It is nice to see the people milling about.

BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



It certainly is nice to see some colour in the urban environment.

BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



The usual Living Statues were present
BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



and the crowds were out
BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



the Wire, Juggler etc .. all in one act
BuskerFest St. Catharines - 13 August 2011 - NiagaraWatch.com



Here is a map to the nerve centre of the activities Google Map.
 

While I was very happy to see the public out and about and our local businesses doing some trade, I wasn't at all happy with the vendor situation. I realize that the organizers sell space to vendors but the crap that most sell and the money that the vendors TAKE OUT of the community are a problem.



Don't get me wrong, the vendors do what they do, it is the organizers that I have a bone to pick with. It strikes me that the organizers, Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects, a not for profit corporation, have stepped way beyond their stated corporate mandate - "Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects enriches our community by strengthening its identity through theatrical production, theatre arts programming and community-based initiatives. Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects connects the community in its entirety. We do this by offering:
Affordable live theatre of challenging artistic merit
Workshops and theatrical opportunities for the citizens of St. Catharines and Niagara Region
Educational programming and professional development initiatives"


I don't see a lot of enriching with the vendor situation, I see money being removed from the community - I may be wrong, it could be that the vendors are all from the Niagara Region but I don't think so.

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