Busker Street is the ultimate destination for street performers and their fans. With over 120 artists in 7 categories, we have all of your favorite acts and a few you’ve never heard of.
We provide a space for street performers to perfect their skills and entertain you with their unique talents. This year, Busker Street will be held on October 4th and 5th at 12:00pm both days. Come join us and see the hottest new talent before they hit it big!
Busker Street is a performance art venue that features dozens of acts throughout the year. From blues to rock and roll, classical to country, you’ll see it all on the streets of Busker Street. See your favorite band before they hit the big time! All performances are free, and most are outdoors, so be sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair.
Coming up in November:
The Fretful Motherboards
An acapella group that performs only music written by computer programmers.
Uncle Frank’s Polka Band
This lively band has been playing polkas for over 40 years.
Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the art of street performance. Dozens of artists will share the secrets of their craft. See how they mastered the skills that helped them build careers in Hollywood; on Broadway; and in Las Vegas.
Why would world-class artists work out their acts on the streets? Because busking is more than a job– it’s a way of life. Buskers come from all walks of life, but they share a love of performing for people. If you want to feel like an insider, put on your walking shoes and jump on board!
The Busker Street Festival comes to San Francisco this weekend, after a long hiatus and a successful debut in Las Vegas.
The festival, which was originally held in New York City before moving to the West Coast, is a celebration of street performers and buskers. More than 50 acts are expected to take part in the event, which will be held on a closed-off portion of Broadway Street, between Columbus Avenue and Montgomery Street.
“It’s really important that we support artists and also that we support public art,” said Lydia Gans, who is organizing the festival. “People think that art belongs in museums or theaters instead of out on the streets where people can enjoy it.”
The festival will feature local favorites such as an acrobat group called the Flying Wallendas and an animal trainer with a trained monkey. There will also be nationally known acts such as Stompy the Clown and The Amazing Slim Ray. Tickets for Saturday’s performances cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12 years old.
We are looking for talented street performers. If you would like to apply, please send us a short, high-quality video of your performance. Our Street Performers Committee watches every video we receive and will contact you if we are interested in booking you for a show. You can also check out our upcoming schedule and see videos of the artists that have already made the cut.
A busker is a street performer who performs in public places for tips.
Busking is a form of street performance or busking that is considered by many to be a form of art, as well as entertainment.
The word is derived from the Spanish word “buscar”. This word means “to seek”. It was applied to street performers who sought out public places where they could perform for coins that people would throw into their hat.
Street performances have existed throughout history and continue to be popular today in cities around the world. In the 19th century, American minstrelsy developed, with performers like “Eph” Bowen and Emmett Wilson growing in popularity. In the United States, buskers are known by many names including street musician, busker and sidewalk performer. The term busker first appeared in print in 1855 in Britain, in William Bower’s Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Volume III).
In North America the term sidewalk entertainer did not become common until after World War II when it became synonymous with musicians playing for tips on busy city sidewalks. In New York City, artists such as Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan got their start as young men on busy sidewalks. In North America, performing on busy