Breathtaking New Acts Announced for Scotiabank BuskerFest in support of
Epilepsy Toronto

TORONTO, Aug. 6 /CNW/ - More than 100 top buskers from all over the world will take to the streets and perform at the 11^th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest, North America's largest street performer festival. Scotiabank BuskerFest will once again inhabit Toronto's historic St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood from Thursday, August 26 to Sunday, August 29, bringing four wild days of fun for fans of all ages while raising much needed funding for Epilepsy Toronto.

"One in every 100 Canadians experiences some form of epilepsy and for the past 11 years, Scotiabank BuskerFest has raised close to $1 million in support of Epilepsy Toronto," says Geoff Bobb, Executive Director of Epilepsy Toronto.  "Through the generosity and support of the festival spectators, we can continue to help those living with epilepsy and their families as we have been doing for the past 50 years."

"At Scotiabank we are proud to have been part of this festival from the very beginning and look forward to this year's festival which promises an assortment of daredevils, magicians, circus acts, fire-breathers and more!" said John Doig, Scotiabank Senior Vice-President, Toronto Region. "Scotiabank BuskerFest is the largest epilepsy awareness event in the world, and through the pay-what-you-can admission helps support the estimated 40,000 Torontonians living with epilepsy and their families, through counselling, information, and support."

Making their first-ever appearance at Scotiabank BuskerFest this year are the following new acts:

From the USA: Stunt Double Circus features four "out of work stuntmen" performing death-defying stunts and high skill circus routines on the Cyr Wheel, the Russian Bar and some of the most extreme Pogo Tricks performed in the world!

From the Netherlands: Close Act's giant dinosaurs, standing approximately 18' tall and 20' long, forge through the crowds, amazing and mystifying onlookers as part of Saurus, the theatre company's larger-than-life prehistoric production!

From Australia: A unique blend of circus stunts, virtuosic violin and fire combine in Liqueur Flambé's musical comedy performance. Winner of the 2009 Best in the City award for Sydney's Best Street Performance!

From the USA: America's Got Talent finalists the Calypso Tumblers have been wowing audiences in New York and Los Angeles with their fun, reggae-filled street acrobatics for over 20 years!

From Canada:  Montreal's Cirque Éloize, whose groundbreaking performances recently seduced Broadway with Rain, will perform a special 'Sneak Peek' Benefit Show (Thursday, August 26 at 8pm) featuring excerpts from their newest show ID that combines the magic of the circus with the hard-hitting funk of urban dance and hip hop and will be opening at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts October 1^st.

Scotiabank BuskerFest returning favourites:

From Toronto: Hercini Arts returns to the street festival with The Magical Music Box, a show that combines music with fantastic aerial and acrobatic stunts as beautiful bird-like creatures dance in and out of a giant jungle gym box.

From Australia: Didgeridoos, bamboo flutes, harmonica, slide guitar and more fill the air as OKA return like a boomerang from the land Down Under, taking you to the roots of the South Pacific.

From Quebec City: Kromatik will transform your face, body and soul with their magical colours. Performing for more than 20 years throughout North America, Europe and Asia, Kromatik have earned a reputation as some of the most sought-after body art artists in the world. Become a piece of art for the day!

From Hamilton: 11-year-old fiddling sensation Liam McGlashon returns for his fourth year at Scotiabank BuskerFest, bringing east coast melodies to the big city.

From Toronto: PyRomeo returns to the festival with two shows! At night PyRomeo will perform a solo show demonstrating his skills with blazing props in a lavish storm of fiery brilliance and during the day he will team up with his beloved in PyRomeo & Fueliette, a show especially for the family in the Scotiabank BuskerPlay area with circus skills, hula-hoops and of course - fire!

From Toronto: Silver Elvis is the most unique spin on Elvis you will ever see, with a cash-activated metallic Elvis statue that magically comes to life with dynamic hip swivels and slick pompadour.

Previously announced hot acts, never-before-seen at Scotiabank BuskerFest:

From Australia: At the cutting edge of fire performance, FlameOz delivers highly skilled and uniquely choreographed fire shows. They've captivated audiences of all ages around the world with their dynamic fusion of fire manipulation, dance, acrobatics, martial arts and circus.

From the UK: Former National Gymnast and dancer Bendy Em will have you on the edge of your 'seat' as she comically bends and contorts her body into freakily mind-boggling positions. Watch Bendy Em squeeze herself into a 16 inch Perspex box balanced on a seven-foot rig!

From Argentina: Four-time Guiness world record breaker Victor Rubilar's soccer ball-juggling show mixes Latino soap opera with the passion of a football arena. "The things that Victor can do with a football are mesmerizing," says the Guiness Book of World Records. A family-friendly show everybody can enjoy.

From Canada: Quebec's palm-reading gypsy ventriloquist/dummy duo, Madam Bao and Cosma, offers an hilarious glance at what life has in store for you while Toronto's Suspended Animation Circus perform The 477^th Greatest Show on Earth, moving through the festival suspended from a giant helium balloon! Aytahn Ross of Circus Montreal can be spotted performing elegant and silly shows daily in the Scotiabank BuskerPlay area, as well as in his installation piece "Authentic Circus Artist in Natural Habitat."

Toronto's own Aidan Orange balances a running lawn mower on his face and performs yo-yo and contortion tricks while English comedian and gentleman juggler Mat Ricardo entertains with impeccable style as the only performer in the world who will pull the tablecloth off the set table and then put it back on again! Whitby's Max T. Oz has performed his slick sleight-of-hand and hilarious antics at every Scotiabank BuskerFest while New Zealand's Lurk demonstrates his stilt skills as a "clown with a complex". The Quebec Russian Bar Trio, woman performing aerial acrobatics from a bar only four inches wide, braced on the shoulders of two men - one of the most dangerous acts to be performed on the street!

Scotiabank BuskerFest is more than just buskers! The event showcases street vendors from around the world, and features Scotiabank BuskerPlay, a kid-friendly area which includes the TELETOON Most Awesome Summer Tour, free workshops in balloon twisting and face painting, crafts and more family fun.

For a full listing of benefit shows at Scotiabank BuskerFest and to enter a draw for the chance to win a fabulous prize package of a three-night hotel stay in Toronto, two tickets to the 2011 Scotiabank BuskerBall, Fire Show and $500 spending money, please visit www.torontobuskerfest.com.  Contest closes August 30, 2010.

11^th Annual Scotiabank BuskerFest
Toronto International Street Performers Festival
Thursday, August 26 - Sunday, August 29, 2010
throughout the St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood:
Front Street from Jarvis Street to Yonge Street, and all adjacent side streets
Thursday, noon - 10 p.m., Friday, noon - 11 p.m.,
Saturday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission is by voluntary donation to Epilepsy Toronto.
www.torontobuskerfest.com   www.facebook.com/BuskerFestToronto.

For further information:

Dianne Weinrib or Eleni Deacon, DW Communications, 416-703-5479, [email protected]

Livy Feldgajer, Scotiabank Public Affairs, 416-866-6203 or [email protected]