Street performers fresh from the international festival circuit and some of South Africa’s hottest buskers will be converging on the V&A Waterfront for the third Cape Town Buskers Festival, which begins on 1 November 2018.

The city’s third Buskers Festival will run from 1 and 11 November (with the performers having rest days on 5 and 6 November). The festival is partnered and sponsored by the V&A Waterfront as an extension of the platform it provides to performers to showcase their talent across the property.

Hailing from the UK, veteran busker BILL FERGUSON is a master of crowd control and hand-eye co-ordination: he’s one of the best non-juggling jugglers in the world. If he can’t meet the crowd’s challenge of juggling any three things they give him, he gets a pie in his face.

South African ANDREW ‘MAGIC MAN’ ELAND will be wowing the crowds with his very special brand of magic that has seen him travel the world. He is joined on the programme by a number of other magicians performing various acts.

Soccer skills champs CAPE TOWN FREESTYLERS will be back to inspire children of all ages to work on their ball talents, while OWEN BRAVO will be balancing, juggling with his mouth in a remarkable one-man show. Expect some belly dancing and physical theatre too!

Two other international performers will be headlining: IMRÉ – from Hungary – will take audiences on a playful journey of acrobatic stunts and hilarious interactive comedy. Watch him wrap his spell around the crowd as they become the heroes of the show, while Spanish performer KATAY has perfected the use of the body as a form of expression. He masterfully uses it as tool to amaze and mesmerise his audiences.

There’ll be surprise blends of music and performance arts from ISIKO LAM SENSATION, the IMBHEWU MARIMBA BAND, and music ranging from brass sounds of the STREET KINGS to the classical HEAVENLY QUARTEZ, loops from LONESOME DAVE FERGUSON and ZENN as well as guitar and vocal from other great talent – some well known; others just discovered.

Coming in at 40 acts with 273 performances, it’s the biggest Cape Town Buskers Festival yet, turning the V&A Waterfront into a lively stage for the talent with a hat.

Please remember that all busker performances are free of charge but the performers rely on donations from the crowd. This age-old tradition sustains busking the world over and audiences are advised to bring their notes and nickel.

The third Cape Town Buskers Festival is produced by the Cape Town Fringe, a project of the National Arts Festival. During the Cape Town Buskers Festival performers also network and share their skills and experience, building the street performers community towards a stronger busking tradition for South Africa. Additional support for the Festival this year has come from Sunglass Hut.

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Main image: The 2017 CT Buskers Festival / Photo: Nardus Engelbrecht
Updated 22 October 2018: correction of dates of rest days and update of number of acts and performances.

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