Busking is generally popular in Switzerland and talented buskers can often make a good living from it. And in the case of Bern, they are actively encouraged to entertain the city. Running from 7-9 August, The Buskers Bern Streetmusic-Festival has brought together more than 150 professional musicians and performance artists from 20 nations around the world. Promising to ignite Bern’s old city, 40 different groups will perform 300 shows at 25 venues in the area.
As always, the festival is centred around the Schlachthaus Theatre in Rathausgasse. Festival goers can get close up to enjoy music; street art, theatre, comedy, installations, and walking-acts. The performances vary wildly in weirdness – from shows featuring fingers, an aquarium on wheels, a walking act in a shared taxi, and a 322 kilo living toy, to a trip to the moon in just nine minutes. For the younger crowd, there are plenty of kid-friendly shows, most notably “Theatre Max” who will perform a comic play with puppets and music. Keeping the festival loyal to its roots, on one of the stages – the Buskershouse – buskers gather to perform for the audience, they receive no fees other than the money given to them by the crowd.
Music fills the venue day and night with musicians from far and wide playing every conceivable genre. Eating and drinking is easy as there’s a huge choice of street food with over 50 stalls scattered throughout the city supplementing a plethora of cafés and restaurants. Take lots of change and enjoy a typical summer Swiss summer experience!
Find more informations on http://www.buskersbern.ch/en
