Award Winning Line Up for Auckland Buskers Festival

The Auckland International Buskers Festival is one event that really needs no introduction! Expect to be stopped in your tracks when walking the streets of central Auckland this Anniversary Weekend, because you will more than likely come across an array of performers entertaining the crowds in the eleventh annual International Buskers Festival in Auckland’s BIG little city.

The Festival features the USA Break Dancers, winners of the 2009 Street Performers World Championships and feature acts at the US Open and NFL Super Bowl; Space Cowboy, current holder of four Guinness World Records and Duke Dreamer from Australia’s Got Talent.

For the 11th year running, the Auckland International Buskers Festival will immerse the BIG little city in an awe-inspiring range of entertainment over Auckland Anniversary Weekend from the 28th to 31st of January 2011 – acrobats, break dancers, jugglers, tight rope walkers, mime, comedy, sword swallowing and more.

The Festival is comprised of 6 sites spread throughout Auckland City the BIG little City. Sites include Viaduct Harbour, Vulcan Lane, Downtown/Britomart, and Princes Wharf.

The night shows have been part of the Festival since 2003 and are a great way to socialise with friends whilst enjoying good outdoor dining in a fun and comical environment.

“This year’s Festival features a top international line up that will appeal to all senses!” says Pam Glaser, the Festival’s Director.

Acts for the 2011 Festival include:

o Sharon Mahoney (Canada)
o Benny B (Australia)
o The Space Cowboy (Australia)
o USA Break Dancers (USA)
o Hemlock (Australia)
o Mr Fungus (New Zealand)
o Franktastico (Italy/UK)
o Damien Ryan (Australia)
o Duke Dreamer (Australia)

So, zip on your best clapping hands, firm up your stamping boots and dive down the back of the couch for a handful of loose change and we’ll see you at the live street performances in Auckland City over Anniversary Weekend.

FACT SHEET

Auckland International Buskers Festival
Friday 28 – Monday 31 January 2011

Background

The Auckland International Buskers Festival has been running since 2001 causing 40,000 annual fits of laughter, gasps, squeals, chuckles and last but not least, fabulous entertainment. Since its inception, the Auckland International Buskers Festival brings an outstanding array of international street performers to Auckland for a 4 day festival this Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

For the 11th year running, the Auckland International Buskers Festival will immerse the city in an awe-inspiring range of entertainment from 28 to 31 January 2011. With acts involving comedy to acrobatics, magic to contortion, break dancers and death defying stunts, Auckland’s CBD will be the place to be.

The Festival is comprised of 6 sites spread throughout Auckland City. Sites include Viaduct Harbour, Vulcan Lane, Downtown/Britomart, and Princes Wharf.

The night shows have been part of the Festival since 2003 and are an ideal night out for socialising with friends whilst enjoying good outdoor dining in a fun and comical environment.

Festival Details

When: 28th – 31st January 2011
Where: In the BIG little city
Vulcan Lane (oldest Busking site in Auckland)
Downtown/Britomart
Princes Wharf
Viaduct Harbour (Maritime Museum)
Eastern Viaduct
Seafood Festival/Viaduct Harbour

Night Shows:

Friday 28th January 7.30pm – 10.00pm Market Square, Viaduct Harbour
Saturday 29th January 7.00pm – 9.00pm Eastern Viaduct, Viaduct Harbour
Sunday 30th January 7.00pm – 9.00pm Eastern Viaduct, Viaduct Harbour

Thursday 27th January 8.00pm Global Comedy Circus at The Classic

Cost: There is no entry cost for the duration of the Festival, but rather a donation is made directly to the performer after their show, based on the enjoyment level of the show.

Parking and Transport: Auckland City Parking has over 4000 parking spots available within the Fanshawe Street and Customs Street parking buildings. In addition to this there is another 4000 Pay and Display street parks available for a maximum of three hours at a time.

Acts for the 2011 Festival include:

USA Break Dancers (USA)
The USA Break Dancers are winners of the 2009 Street Performers World Championships held annually in Dublin, Ireland. This troupe of dancers are based out of The Bronx, New York City.
The group performs their high-energy interactive show for millions of people around the world at festivals, half-time shows for the NBA and are a feature act from the US Open and the NFL Super Bowl. Collectively members of the group have been featured on television, in major motion pictures and have appeared in numerous music videos.
The USA Break dancers perform a spectacular show packed with acrobatic stunts, hilarious antics, and the hottest dance moves.

Hemlock (Australia)
Hemlock Mejarne has been delighting passers-by for 11 years with his street show ‘The Camel of Death!’ Combining big acrobatic stunts with the silliest of Aussie humour, Hemlock will leave his audience in stitches.
Hemlock began acrobatic training in 1985 joining the national training squad in Sports Acrobatics and competed at an international level in the Pan-Pacific Games in Tumbling and Double mini-tramp. Hemlock’s performance skills include acrobatics, fire performance, balancing, human statues, juggling & other circus arts. One of Hemlock’s clients was the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games!

Sharon Mahoney (Canada)
Sharon has performed at some of the biggest festivals in the world including Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury and the Tasmanian Circus Festival. As the only female street performer on pitch in Vancouver, Sharon was determined to create a more theatrical show than the stock juggling-hype-show. She created ‘Sharon from Canada’ who is your typical Canadian; friendly, patriotic, apologetic and slightly repressed.
After time and under pressure of being Miss Canada, she begins to break. With a little help from the audience, she revamps into her more uninhibited counterpart; the one, the only, the very voracious Miss Tallulah!

Mr Fungus (New Zealand)
New Zealand’s Loudest Mime Mr Fungus has entertained kids of all ages with his off-beat visual and verbal humour. He not only performs in New Zealand but all over the world in such Festivals as the Birmingham Summer and British Juggling Festival. His award-winning shows include mime, juggling and cat-swinging, peppered with hilarious audience participation.

Franktastico (Italy/UK)
Franktastico will capture your imagination with his amazing lasso tricks, scintillate your ears with his virtuosic banjo playing and impress you with his circus abilities.
20 years of experience in music, comedy and circus tricks, culminate in Franktastico’s banjo-circus solo show.

Benny B (Australia)
The Benny B Show is family friendly, high energy, hilarious and features amazing circus stunts!
Come on a journey of discovery with Benny B as he explores the comic possibilities of the world, people and objects around him. Add to his sense of adventure a Degree in Circus Arts followed by intensive circus training in China and you have the perfect combination of improvisation, clowning and incredible circus skills.

The Space Cowboy (Australia)
The Space Cowboy is a truly unique and exciting performer. He has amazed audiences of up to 20,000 people in over 30 countries. He has shown his diversity and skill by performing at the Edinburgh Festival 15 years in a row and won ‘The Street Performance World Championship’ award in 2006 and 2007. He has exhibited four different sell out shows in the Sydney Opera House, has toured with famous rock bands, freaked out motorcycle dare-devils in massive arena stunt shows, and displayed his extravagant abilities in front of the royal throne of Italy. The Space Cowboy currently holds six Guinness World Records for his unusual skills and all of his acts are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on all who witness this incredible phenomenon.
www.thespacecowboy.com

Duke Dreamer (Australia)
Experience one-of-a-kind comic inventions like the ‘Mini-me on a Cloud’ illusion and electric aircraft balance stunt, as Daniel Nimmo a.k.a. Duke Dreamer brings you an extraordinary show filled with humour, magic and dare-devil stunts. The astonishing Duke has over 12 years experience performing worldwide on television, at international festivals and Vaudeville cabaret shows. He even received a standing ovation on the TV show Australia’s Got Talent!

Damien Ryan (Australia)
Not many people can ride a 9 foot unicycle, even less can do it while juggling. Damien Ryan is one such performer, and his unique live theatre type show is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. Damien is a master of variety, his show includes a comedy routine juggling up to 5 balls or slack rope routine juggling knives, but always ending with an impressive finale atop a 9 foot unicycle. An inimitable blend of circus, performance, music, art and comedy, Damien is a one-off entertainer and audiences love him.

The People’s Choice Award

Festival audiences can vote for their favourite performer by visiting the Festival website www.aucklandbuskerfestival.co.nz. Voting closes at 4pm on Sunday 30th January. The People’s Choice Award will be presented at the night show on Sunday 30th January 2011.

Buskers Funky Facts

What’s a Busker?
A street performer who entertains and delights others for voluntary donations.

What do they do?
What don’t they do? Juggle, dance, sing, magic tricks….the list is way too long to print here!!

How much?
It is up to you how much you pay. Buskers earn their living by “passing the hat” so when you enjoy their performance, let them know when the hat is passed.

For more information on the Auckland International Buskers Festival

www.aucklandbuskersfestival.co.nz

The Auckland International Buskers Festival is proudly brought to you by: The BIG little city, Auckland City, ZM, Classic Hits, Newstalk ZB, Radio Sport, Coast, Easy Mix, Flava, and Hauraki.

ENDS

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