The annual Buskers and Street Performers Festival celebrates the street performance talent and culture we have in the city.
The festival includes a diverse range of music and dance throughout the city centre, with street performers from all over the region and beyond taking part.
Dates for the 2011 festival are not yet confirmed.
2010 festival
The 2010 festival ran from 1-3 July. Each day of the festival began at 11am through to 5pm and created a fabulous atmosphere in the city.
The mayor officially opened the festival at 11am outside the front of the Guildhall on Thursday 1 July, followed by a performance from the 2009 winner Gavin Adam Wood.
We would like to offer a special thank you to UkeyLove for their help with promoting the festival.
2010 competition results
A competition was held for the public to vote for their favourite busker throughout the festival. With nearly 100 responses collected and only two votes separating first and second places, the overall winner of the festival was ‘Karmadillo’ (acoustic in the same vein as the Divine Comedy) singing and playing charango, a South American folk instrument.
Karmadillo won tickets to the Cambridge Folk Festival and a series of gigs at Henry’s Café/Bar, Quayside. Karmadillo performed individually at the festival and were also part of the UkeyLove group.
Second prize went to Gavin Adam Wood, singer/songwriter, acoustic guitar and vocals. Gavin was the 2009 winner.
Third prize went to ‘Chancellors of Vice’, a four-piece band playing soul/funk music.
Mario Morris, Comedy Magician, took first prize in the Variety Street Performers category of the competition.
DSPickett took first prize in the Young Performers category (under 18s).
A draw for the public to win prizes took place in the Market Square. Bridget Leavens from Graves flower stall picked out the winning coupon. Simone Castello from Cambridge won two full festival tickets with camping for the Cambridge Rock Festival, which takes place from 5th – 8th August 2010 at the Haggis Farm Polo Club, Cambridge Road, Barton, Cambridge, CB23 7AT.
You can see some of the buskers from the 2010 festival perform at the buskers station at the Cambridge Rock Festival.
Winners were announced in the 7 July 2010 council news release.
Gallery
Karmadillo: 2010 overall winner.
Gavin Adam Wood: 2010 runner-up.
Mario Morris: 2010 Winner of Variety Act category.
DSPickett: 2010 Winner of Young Performers category.
UkeyLove featuring Planetzim.
Charlie Cavey - The Bin Busker.
John Buckley from the Woodshed Band.
Supporters
We would like to say a big thank you to the following businesses for donating prizes for the festival:
- Henry’s Café/bar, Quayside
- Cambridge Rock Festival
- Cambridge Folk Festival
- Ken Stevens Music & Instruments
- The Grafton Centre
- Summer in the City
- Sundaes
- Cambridge United Football Club
- Urban Larder, Hope Street Yard
- The Junction
- Tourist Information Centre
- Cambridge Dutchbikes Ltd
- The Cambridge Toy Shop, Sussex Street
The festival is being supported this year by Cambridge Dutchbikes Ltd, The Electric Transport Shop and Urban Larder (all located at Hope Street Yard), Ken Stevens Music & Instruments in Sussex Street, D'Arry's Cookhouse & Wine Shop in King Street and BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
A 10% discount throughout the festival was available at Ken Stevens Music & Instruments/Millers Music Centre and 10% discount on food during the festival and throughout July at D'Arrys Cookhouse & Wine Shop if you brought along a copy of the festival programme.
A glimpse from the 2009 festival
Contact
For more information about the festival, please email the City Centre Management team at citycentremanagement@cambridge.gov.uk or telephone 01223 457315.
Alternatively, keep checking this page for updates.
