THUNDER BAY -- A bustling Bay and Algoma region is the site for this weekend's for Busker’s Festival.
It’s the sixth annual, and according to coordinator Brian Hamilton, it’s the biggest.
“It’s got to be,” Hamilton said. “There’s barely any room to stand here.”
The street festival is a two-day event that hosts music and entertainment from around the world, sets up shop for local food and drink vendors, and gives people a chance to enjoy the artistic side of the city.
For Hamilton, the sixth annual represents a growing interest in the arts community in Thunder Bay.
“The community feels engaged,” he said. “This shows me a city that’s kind of on the rise. It’s ready to take it to the next level... The city's getting more and more attractive.”
“It’s not even the festival that’s bigger, it’s that Thunder Bay feels bigger, and we’re feeling the support, feeling the love.”
“I think diversity,” Hamilton said on the event’s main attraction. “You can shop, eat, watch. There’s taste, smells, and sounds. And the buskers this year are amazing.”
One busker, Christine Rock, immediately noticed the jump in crowd size.
“There’s way more people this year so it was totally awesome to play in front of them,” said Rock, who was born and raised in Thunder Bay.
She says it’s important to have local events that combine community and artistic scene.
“So important. There’s not a lot of live music venues to play. This is a huge opportunity for local artists because people come from all over.”
The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Performance schedule is available online at bayalgoma.com.
