In a city where 90 per cent of our pay cheques go directly to our landlords (or the bank!), and a cup of coffee requires a co-signer, the prospect of a weekend of free world-class family-friendly entertainment should not be passed up.
Downtown will be buzzing this weekend as the Vancouver International Busker Festival takes over Granville Street from Dunsmuir to Smithe with 120 cool performances that range from the sublime to the borderline insane.
While Granville Street is usually not a place to take the kids after dark, during the day it’s a whole different story. The best street performers from around the world will be delivering two action-packed days of comedy, acrobatics, music, and general light-hearted mayhem this weekend.
In addition to the non-stop cavalcade of wonderful weirdness, there will also be the usual assortment of funky artisans and vendors, as well as a plethora of food trucks.
The festival kicks off the first weekend of VIVA Vancouver, an effort by the City of Vancouver to close roads to vehicle traffic in the summer months and convert them into public spaces for walking, lounging, and lunching. This highly radical notion – that cities are built for people and not cars – will result in Granville being blocked to all traffic from Hastings all the way to Smithe during the festival.
The Vancouver International Busker Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29, from noon to 10pm on Granville between Smithe and Dunsmuir. There will also be an opening ceremony Friday, June 27, from 6 to 9pm.
Visit the festival website for the full lowdown on the weekend’s events. If you're in a hurry, here are a few of the buskers performing:
Reuben Dot Dot Dot (Australia)
Lisa Lotti (Netherlands)
Basketball Jones (New Zealand)
Mr. Fish (Australia)
Billions Cobra (Toronto)
Katie Mior (Toronto)
The free fun downtown isn’t limited to Granville, however, with Vancouver International Jazz Festival’s free music series at David Lam Park (corner of Drake and Pacific) and the nearby Roundhouse Performance Centre.
In all, close to 30 acts will be performing for free, or nearly free (Innovation Series performances at the Roundhouse cost $5 per show), on four stages from noon to 9pm, both Saturday and Sunday (June 28 and 29). For more information, visit CoastalJazz.ca.
