Instrument cases and baseball caps will stretch along McRae Street this weekend as talented musicians and street performers liven things up in Olde Towne Okotoks.
Among them will be 16-year-old singer/songwriter Eric Hess who is returning to the streets to strum his ovation for passersby at Okotoks BuskersFest on June 25 after winning last year’s event.
“You get so many people you don’t know who are listening to your music that you wouldn’t normally have listening to you,” said Hess. “You can stop and talk to them a little, which is a really cool aspect. I love to meet all the people and it’s neat to play without an amp and mic now and again. I love professional venues, but it’s always nice to get back to that acoustic atmosphere.”
Local personalities and spectators will wander the street throughout the day to select the top five buskers, who will get future gigs performing at various major community events over the next year.
Hess’ win got him gigs at the Taste of Okotoks, Best of BuskersFest concert, Yuk Yuks on Tour and this summer’s Art on the Lawn event.
“I totally didn’t expect anything to come out of it,” he said. “It had a big change on me.”
Hess gained more exposure as a musician and it propelled him to delve further into his music.
“When I won it gave me motivation to write a little bit more,” he said, adding he created a YouTube channel. “It motivated me to make a little bit of music and to get people listening.”
About 40 musicians, magicians, jugglers, street performers, dancers, singers and other entertainers are expected to fill the street from Centre Avenue to Lineham Avenue from noon to 3 p.m., said Janette Messer, community programs and events manager.
Last year’s event had 26 buskers.
“We certainly want to have sufficient vendors and buskers to be able to fill in that whole of the downtown area,” she said. “It’s really interesting to see the types of buskers that we have. We would like to see a diverse range attend because it’s more captivating for the audience.”
Messer said BuskersFest is not only an opportunity to showcase local talent in Okotoks, but to give up-and-coming performers exposure.
Running in conjunction with BuskersFest again this year is the MarketSquare Street Market, which also takes place each summer in conjunction with BuskersFest, Taste of Okotoks and ChiliFest. MarketSquare opens at 10 a.m.
Co-founder Andrea Wilton-Clark said the market will feature more than 100 artists, artisans, boutique businesses and young entrepreneurs.
“It’s bigger than ever,” she said, adding last year’s event featured 65 vendors.
MarketSquare provides a venue for the public to shop for unique and hand-made products while supporting entrepreneurs in the Foothills and across southern Alberta, said Wilton-Clark.
“It’s supporting our local community in a really vibrant setting,” she said. “There is music and dancing. It’s just an awesome environment.”
To register for BuskersFest go to okotoksculture.ca or the downtown plaza on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
