EDMONTON STREET FESTIVAL

Treats Jugglers Right

 

by Dana Smith

 

It ain't over 'till the fat man stops yelling. And before 'Arry Pavarotti (the organically amplified British busker) shuts his loud mouth, you may see in a single city park... a man balanced atop rola-bolas stacked four high, a performer dressed in a costume constructed of thousands of paper plates, and Hokum W.Jeeb enthralling his audience with tunes played on a toy piano.

 

This kalaidescope of color, this menagerie of merry pranksters, these entertainers of the boulevards and parkways of the world have come to the edge of North America's last urban outpost since 1981 to take part in a street performer's festival called Summerfest. It is sponsored by the city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, and runs this year from July 6-15.

 

Dick Finkle is the festival's producer, and orchestrates this publicly-funded festival with a positive style. He is responsible for the ethical framework as well as the nuts-and-bolts of the day-to­day management of the site. It is fundamental to the festival that there are no contests and no prizes. The festival honors all the acts for just being there by paying their transportation and an appearance fee. They can also earn some handsome money from passing their hats in the central city park where they perform.

 

Finkle says he treats performers as professionals because it's best to run this type of festival professionally. "It lets me pick and choose the people I want, and the lines of responsibility and authority are clearly drawn. You can end up with an anarchistic situation when no one is paid to perform, he said.

 

Despite that warning, Finkle doesn't know of a single other festival where performers receive an appearance fee. They are generally left to collect what's   put in their hats and/or compete for cash prizes given to the top ''vote-get­ters" in a public balloting.

 

But Finkle makes everyone at Edmonton a winner, rather than turning the event into another gladiatorial extravaganza. Summerfest bestows confidence and glory upon every performer. This is because Finkle believes the solo saxophone player is as important a part of the picture as the balloon twister, or a trio of jugglers.

 

Summerfest in Edmonton is just one of seven major international festivals and several other minor festivals that are held in that city every summer. Finkle explained, "Edmonton is unique in that the city government determined in 1981 they would substantially help festivals, so every weekend from the end of June to the end of August there is a major international festival in town." Summerfest happens primarily in a square block in the center of town bounded by city hall on one side and the main library on another. And while Sir Winston Churchill Square is modest in size, it supports three to four shows simultaneously during the peak hours, as well as face painters, strolling mimes and balloon twisters.­