2019 Kingston Buskers Rendezvous opens in downtown Kingston

The 2019 Kingston Buskers Rendezvous kicked off with the annual Fool’s Overture at the Renaissance Event Venue on Wednesday, Jul. 3, 2019.

Teen ukulele trio Callback opened the evening with covers of contemporary songs. Thirteen year olds Annie, Lucy, and Clara all call Kingston home, and said that they were excited to participate in this year’s festival. “It’s great to be entertaining people, just having fun,” said Clara.

Flowmotion Dance Company performed a Swing Café street theatre performance. Hailing from Austria, the group’s choreographed hoverboard song and dance was a hit with the crowd.

Former Olympic gymnast and Cirque du Soleil performer Imre Bernath came all the way from Germany to perform an interactive show of gymnastic tricks involving audience members.

Japanese street performer Hero-San got the crowd laughing with his quick jokes and acrobatic feats, selecting MP Gerreston from the audience to be lifted in a tandem balance trick. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the Kingston crowd and their energy this weekend,” Hero-San said.

The final performer of the evening was Australian Lisa Lottie. Her hoop tricks and flexibility stunts drew awe and served as a climactic finish to the event.

“It’s lovely to meet friends from all over the world,” said Lotte. “We get to hang out together and just like push up some really great shows with some really lovely people.”

For a live video of all the performers, visit Kingstonist’s Facebook page.

Buskers from all over the world will be taking to the streets of downtown Kingston from Thursday, Jul. 4, 2019 until Sunday, Jul. 7, 2019, with the Grand Finale in Confederation Park on Sunday, Jul. 7 beginning at 6 p.m.

The annual showcase of acts involving flames and daring feats, Buskers Rendezvous Fire Show, will take place on Saturday, Jul. 6 on Princess Street between Division and Barrie Streets beginning at 10 p.m.

For more information about the 2019 Buskers Rendezvous, click here. For a full schedule of events, click here. For accessibility details, click here. And to learn more about Busker Bites, where local restaurants pair locally-source appetizers with local wines and beers, click here.