World renowned buskers, stuntmen, clowns, acrobats, jugglers and other talented performers made their way to the downtown area of Toronto this weekend for Buskerfest.
Performers from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, The Netherlands, Hungary, Japan and all corners of Canada set the stage for four days of continuous fun.
However, it wasn’t all fun and games for the crew in purple shirts who reminded visitors of the real purpose of Buskerfest—to raise awareness about epilepsy, one of the most common disorders in the world.
“There’s over a million people that come to Buskerfest every year, and we’re using this opportunity to raise a little bit more awareness,” said Lise Schofield, director of communications for Epilepsy Toronto.
While Front Street boomed with cheerful crowds, music, and entertainment, volunteers encouraged visitors to buy small gifts for the cause. This year, Epilepsy Toronto set up a booth with a game quiz about epilepsy to test how much people knew about the condition, which affects 1 percent of Torontonians.
For most attendees, the biggest draws of the festival were no doubt shows like the daring FlameOz and breathtaking Cirque Éloize. For the Epilepsy Toronto team, however, the best part was providing information about a disorder that many people misunderstand.
“The best thing has been that we had a chance to really bring [epilepsy] out of the shadows,” Schofield said. “It’s not a mental condition, it’s a physical condition that can happen to anyone at any time.”
Most of the planning, flyer distribution, stickers, and other efforts were carried out with the help of dedicated volunteers. Some travelled from as far as Markham, Ontario, such as 16 year old high school student Chloe Wong.
“It’s nice to be part of a charity event, you get to help people through cooperation with other volunteers,” said Wong, who attended the festival for the first time.
Ryan Tang, a university student, volunteered with a group of students from the Cross Cultural Community Service Association. The group received quick and detailed training and information about epilepsy that would help raise awareness about the disorder.
Performers from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, The Netherlands, Hungary, Japan and all corners of Canada set the stage for four days of continuous fun.
However, it wasn’t all fun and games for the crew in purple shirts who reminded visitors of the real purpose of Buskerfest—to raise awareness about epilepsy, one of the most common disorders in the world.
“There’s over a million people that come to Buskerfest every year, and we’re using this opportunity to raise a little bit more awareness,” said Lise Schofield, director of communications for Epilepsy Toronto.
While Front Street boomed with cheerful crowds, music, and entertainment, volunteers encouraged visitors to buy small gifts for the cause. This year, Epilepsy Toronto set up a booth with a game quiz about epilepsy to test how much people knew about the condition, which affects 1 percent of Torontonians.
For most attendees, the biggest draws of the festival were no doubt shows like the daring FlameOz and breathtaking Cirque Éloize. For the Epilepsy Toronto team, however, the best part was providing information about a disorder that many people misunderstand.
“The best thing has been that we had a chance to really bring [epilepsy] out of the shadows,” Schofield said. “It’s not a mental condition, it’s a physical condition that can happen to anyone at any time.”
Most of the planning, flyer distribution, stickers, and other efforts were carried out with the help of dedicated volunteers. Some travelled from as far as Markham, Ontario, such as 16 year old high school student Chloe Wong.
“It’s nice to be part of a charity event, you get to help people through cooperation with other volunteers,” said Wong, who attended the festival for the first time.
Ryan Tang, a university student, volunteered with a group of students from the Cross Cultural Community Service Association. The group received quick and detailed training and information about epilepsy that would help raise awareness about the disorder.
“[The training] really brought more attention for me, personally,” said Tang about how volunteering at Buskerfest helped him learn about epilepsy.
The Calypso Tumblers, one of the top 20 finalists on “America’s Got Talent,” entertained the crowd with reggae-influenced dance and acrobatic tricks. Jahson Baitlette, one of the leaders of the group, said the festival inspired him to take action when the group travels back home to the Caribbean.
It was the first time for Calypso in Toronto at the Buskerfest, but probably not the last. “It’s beautiful to be part of a festival that’s helping people,” said Baitlette.
The Calypso Tumblers, one of the top 20 finalists on “America’s Got Talent,” entertained the crowd with reggae-influenced dance and acrobatic tricks. Jahson Baitlette, one of the leaders of the group, said the festival inspired him to take action when the group travels back home to the Caribbean.
It was the first time for Calypso in Toronto at the Buskerfest, but probably not the last. “It’s beautiful to be part of a festival that’s helping people,” said Baitlette.
