Dave Aiken - The Checkerboard Guy. (Photo Courtesy of Richard Renner)
The 7th annual Lawrence Busker Festivalis happening this weekend with sword swallowers, jugglers, acrobats, dancers, fire eaters and all kinds of musicians on the streets of downtown Lawrence. Festival producer Richard Renner says he tries to bring back audience favorites and surprise people with exciting new acts every year.
"One group is called the USA Break-dancers and the founder is a former Cirque Du Soleil dancer. He now does street performing with two other break dancers and they put on a great show full of audience participation. We've got Becka Hammond, a former Kansas native now living out in Boulder. She does a pretty interesting fire, jump-rope and unicycle trick that I can't even begin to describe but it's the finale of her show and you gotta see that."
Renner says the festival celebrates the grand tradition of street performing which, he says, is seeing a resurgence as many cities that once prohibited busking now embrace it as a “quality of life” enhancement.
"I am seeing, particularly in America, more busking being done and more cities trying to develop and support it because it does add to an area. I mean it gives a certain vibe, a certain buzz, something else to do and see."
In addition to the mimes, jugglers and other visual performers, musicians of many varieties will entertain throughout the downtown area including some of the featured performers from the Kansas State Picking and Fiddling Championships which is also happening in Lawrence this weekend. The Lawrence Busker Festival continues through Sunday
More info about the festival can be found at: Lawrence Busker Fest.com