Buskers brave bad weather for festival

Junior section winner Noah Stuart. Photos: Nikki South. Video: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

After a week of sunny skies, Sunday unfortunately turned wet – just in time for The Weekend Sun Mount Busking Festival.

However, that didn't deter a variety of acts from entertaining visitors to Mount Mainstreet today, with buskers coming from as far away as Auckland to share their talents.

Mount Mainstreet manager Ingrid Fleming says there were 42 entries in this year's festival, across two sections – junior (under 16) and open.

'Despite the weather, it's been a fantastic busking festival. We had some real talent out there.”

Four skilled judges sized up each act, evaluating them on their strengths as entertainers, with particular attention paid to audience response. Two sound technicians also ensured buskers didn't drown each other out in the contest to be heard.

Although the majority of the buskers were bands or solo musicians, there were other entertainment options at the festival too, including pony rides, a trampoline, a stilt walker, Spiderman, and face painting.

Ingrid says the crowd was good considering the rain, and they ended up reopening the road early as most of the acts were under cover.

The annual festival is free to enter, with more than $3000 in prizes and cash up for grabs.

'Our next big event is Wheels on Mainstreet at Labour Weekend,” says Ingrid. 'After that the focus is on Christmas. Santa is coming on December 23 and 24, and on December 1-3 we have ice skating in Phoenix Park, on a plastic rink.”

Mount Busking Festival Winners

Junior Section

First: Noah Stuart (bucket drums and floor tom)

Second: Tara Canton (acoustic guitar)

Third: ‘Unnecessary Jams' (singing, guitar, box drum)

Fourth: Eliza Ward, Kieran Tipper, and Logan Macdonald (keyboard, guitar, singing)

Fifth: Peter Hart and Asher Wong (violin with backing music)

People's Choice: ‘Blend' (singing and ukulele)

Open Section

First and People's Choice: ‘Papamoa Pirates' (drums and digeridoos)

Second: Campbell Mackenzie (acoustic guitar and singing)

Third: Brandon Cawenga (guitar and singing)

Fourth: Caleb Cross (guitar and singing)

Fifth: Eric Hunt (electric guitar)

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1 comment

Busking contributes to culture

Posted on 09-10-2017 09:04 | By Papamoaner

They get my money when I can afford it. The trick is before going down there, go to the bank and convert $20 into $2 coins. If there are more than 10 buskers you need to get a bit judicious. Some of them display remarkable talent.


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