Covent Garden Street Performers: A Guide
Covent Garden is renowned for its street performers and they are one of the main draws for tourists to the area. I am lucky enough to live just a 5 minute walk from Covent Garden, so I thought it would be nice to write down some basic info about the acts on offer and when/how to catch them.
When are the Acts?
Well I know that this sounds strange but it really does depend on the weather. It’s not just about rain either, but any inclement weather. If it’s too hot or too cold (I know, silly British people) then performers don’t tend to turn up. This means that usually if you get there before 10am then you will be able to catch at least one act arriving and putting their spot together, if not catch a show or two. Occasionally there will be an act who turns up later in the day, so if you miss them first time round then keep an eye out for them later!
Where are the acts?
Covent Garden is split into two halves for street performers; The Piazza (the large open space where the Apple Store is) and underneath the Market Building opposite Neal’s Yard Dairy
If you’re a frequent visitor to Covent Garden you may have noticed the street performers that regularly perform for the public. These street performers are a part of the Covent Garden Piazza and are there to entertain you! There are a lot of different acts, which vary from comedy, juggling, singing, dancing and fire breathing!
If you’re looking to catch these performances, you’ll be pleased to know they make it pretty easy. There is a daily busking schedule available on the official website or alternatively on notice boards located in the Piazza. You can also download the pdf timetable here to your phone or tablet so you’re always up-to-date with what’s going on when.
Alternatively if you don’t have access to wifi whilst in London then fear not! You can find out what act is performing by following Covent Garden on Twitter or Facebook. They update their feeds regularly with all of the latest information and let’s face it, who doesn’t have data on their phone these days?
If you prefer the old school way of doing things then check out this map below which is located in the Piazza area. This will give you a rough idea of
Covent Garden Street Performers is a group of street performers who perform in Covent Garden, London. So if you would like to learn about the performers and how to watch their acts, read on!
Location:
The performers are located on the corner of Neal Street and Earlham Street. The nearest tube station is Covent Garden, which is on the Piccadilly line. The entrance to this station is centrally located in the Covent Garden Piazza – where the famous Apple Market is situated.
When?
The performances usually start at around 10am and continue until around 6pm, although it can vary a little depending on the time of year. However, as there are many other things in this area that are also very interesting, it is best to plan your day well to ensure that you don’t miss out on any other activities if you have planned a full day here.
What?
There are many different acts that take place here throughout the day. If you want to know more about these acts and when they are performing, then you should go onto their website (www.coventgardenstreetperformers.co.uk) or pop down there for yourself – as they will be able to give
Covent Garden is the most famous place in London for street performers, with a long and rich history of them. The performers are one of the main attractions of Covent Garden, and it’s not surprising to see them performing there as many performers have said that they get their best crowds in Covent Garden.
There are also a few other places around London where you can watch street performances. These include Leicester Square, South Bank, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.
Covent Garden is divided into two different areas when it comes to the street performers: the Piazza and the Market. The Piazza is located outside of the Royal Opera House and is where most of the performances take place. The Market area is where you’ll find all of the shops and cafes.
The Piazza also has three main performance spots that rotate every 30 minutes: The North Colonnade, The South Colonnade and St Paul’s Church Yard. You can usually see which spot is next by checking out the board outside of Joe Allen’s restaurant or by asking one of the performers or staff working at Covent Garden.
The performance spots will have signs up which give information about what time each spot
Covent Garden Piazza is home to the official street performers of London, who have been performing in the Piazza since 1980. The performers are all licensed, and you can find out each day’s lineup here. If you are lucky enough to be visiting on a summer day, make sure to check out the amazing performances!
The performances are Monday through Saturday from 12:30-6:30pm and Sunday from 12:00-6pm. You can catch at least three different performances an hour!
There is always a buzz in the air at Covent Garden and the street performers are one of the reasons why. The entertainment can be awe-inspiring, hilarious or just downright weird! Don’t miss what has to be one of the best free shows in London!
The entertainers perform throughout Covent Garden every day (weather and licensing permitting) and get paid by you via donation. Please note that as they are not employees of the Market Building they cannot be held responsible for their acts.
Below is a guide to who is performing when:
Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles!
Mikey Bubbles, aka Michael Smith, creates big bouncing bubbles you can walk into, juggle with and even ride – if you’re feeling brave! He performs throughout the week but times may change so it’s worth checking his Facebook page for details.
Skateboarding dog
Daredevil skateboarding duo Double Trouble (or should that be quadruple trouble?) work on tips from passers-by so make sure you have some loose change to hand – especially when the dog does a human pyramid! Watch out for them on Mondays between 2pm and 4pm and Thursdays between 1pm and 3pm.
Dancing robots
For
This is a guide to the Covent Garden Street Performers and the times that they perform.
I have had many requests for these details over the years so I thought I would put them all in one place.
This guide is by no means exhaustive.
If you are after something specific then please feel free to contact me at www.facebook.com/funicularproductions
I will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible with any info I can find.
The information below is correct as of 3rd January 2014 and was provided directly from the performers themselves.
As mentioned, this list is not comprehensive and if you know of other performers that you think should be listed here then please let me know!