SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST IN SUPPORT OF EPILEPSY TORONTO - PREVIEW + INTERVIEW SERIES

SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST IN SUPPORT OF EPILEPSY TORONTO

PREVIEW + INTERVIEW SERIES

Buskerfest has been a part of Toronto’s ever changing cultural landscape for 15 years. It’s grown to be the largest busking event in North America and the largest epilepsy awareness event in the world. Put on by Epilepsy Toronto, in partnership with Scotiabank, they aim to bring the vibrant world of busking and the importance of epilepsy awareness out of the shadows. Admission is based on a donation system, proceeds going to Epilepsy Toronto, and for a small donation, you’re getting a whole lot of festival.

We were lucky enough to chat with Mackenzie Muldoon, who’s been involved with Buskerfest since its first year and has been their entertainment director for the past 8 years. She has gotten the chance to watch Buskerfest grow to a locally and internationally anticipated and respected street performing festival. Seeing about 5 million people pass through last year, the 400 volunteers are preparing for at least the same turn out. Hosting over 70 acts along Yonge St. throughout the 4 day festival (Aug 21-24) there’s something for everyone.

Returning fans can expect a few additions to the weekend including new local and international performers as well as a brand new Benefit Stage in Yonge Dundas Square. Each of the 29 performance acts will perform once on the Benefit Stage over the course of the weekend with all proceeds going directly to Epilepsy Toronto.

Mackenzie suggests newcomers “go in with an open mind and see what the festival has to offer. Big acts draw crowds and those are spectacles but there are also a lot of small, more intimate experiences, and those are often the highlight.”

Even speaking with Mackenzie as briefly as we did it was abundantly clear her passion and commitment to the event and what it stands for- bringing misconceptions of busking and epilepsy out of the shadows and raising awareness about epilepsy. “It’s a chance to find little bits of magic” she says.

One question we were dying to have answered was how this partnership (between busking and epilepsy) came to be. It turns out the Executive Director of Epilepsy Toronto attended the longstanding Buskerfest in Kingston, thought it was great and wanted to bring it to Toronto. Epilepsy Toronto started to put on the event with Scotiabank in Nathan Philip Square and the rest is history. What inspired him was how epilepsy and busking both have stigmas and misconceptions when they are actually much more common than people may realize (1-100 Canadians have epilepsy). “This is putting epilepsy right on the main stage and bringing it to light and the city” Mackenzie says.

We asked her if she had a favorite act or highlight and she started listing the performances like they were ingredients. We won’t list them here but let’s just say (aside from supporting a great cause) there are a lot of good reasons to go to Buskerfest this year. The festival runs from August 21st - 24th.

AN INTERVIEW WITH MACKENZIE MULDOON;

BUSKERFEST ENTERTAINMENT DIRECTOR

How long have you been involved with buskerfest?

Very beginning 15 years volunteer coordinator, several hats, 8 years as current position

What’s changed over the years? What can returning fans expect to be different this year?

Grown leaps and bounds over 15 years, largest yada yada, established itself in the world as street performing as a known event anticipation, respect, perfected the diversity in acts. Biggest thing for this year. Organized by and arranged by epelesy but people don’t know this because of the focus on the event and now there needs to be more of a link (epilepsy epicentre stage, yonge and dundas square) 29 mainstage acts as well as special guest acts (total 70 acts won’t all be  there)

Do you have any advice for newcomers who are attending the festival for the first time? (what would you say to first-timers)

Go in with an open mind and see what the festival has to offer. Big acts draw crowds and those are spectacles but there are also a lot of small more intimate experiences and those are often the highlight. Find the little bits of magic. Arts fortune- fortune teller booth, 12 year old yo-yo stunt artist. Blanko- strongman living statue competitor.

How is buskerfest different from the everyday street performances we see around the city?

Unique and intimate,

Street performing and epilepsy haven’t exactly been associated together historically, do you know how Epilepsy Toronto decided on buskerfest originally?

Executive director jeff attended buskerfest in Kingston that’s longstanding, thought it was great and wanted to bring it to Toronto. Origininally in Nathan filip square with Scotiabank  and the rest is history. What inspire him was epilepsy  was very much in the shadows while 1-100 people have epilepsy, not very talked about with stigmas but this is  putting epilepsy right on the mainstage and bringing it to light and the city

How many people do you anticipate will be attending buskerfest this year?

5 million (ish)

Similar Buskerfests have expanded to Sault Ste. Marie, Niagra, Port Credit, and Halifax. Do you see Epilepsy Toronto’s buskerfest expanding to other cities?

Specifically epilepsy Toronto, not expanding, this is Toronto’s thing and that’s the focus. Busker circuit in Canada is world renouned and sharing performers with other countries like Australia

Do you have a favorite act or highlight from last year?

Matt ricardo- caberai, well known as being the creator of the classic trick of pulling the tableclothe off the set table and then putting it back on.

Any new acts to the festival you’re especially looking forward to this year?

Reubon dotdotdot- acrobat original Chinese pole cirque de solie.

NEW- Benefit stage in Yonge Dundas Square where each of the performing acts will perform once on this stage over the course of the weekend and all proceeds will be going to Epilepsy Toronto. Comrarderie amongst performers and festival organizers.

15th Buskerfest is the largest street performer festival in North America, and the largest epilepsy awareness event in the world with over 400 volunteers.

The Festival is organized and run by Epilepsy Toronto as their largest fundraiser of the year.

The 15th Annual Scotiabank Buskerfest begins Thursday August 21st at 12pm and runs until
Sunday August 24th!