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.
It certainly is nice to see some colour in the urban environment.
The usual Living Statues were present
and the crowds were out
the Wire, Juggler etc .. all in one act
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"
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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