Narooma’s first Regional Busking Festival and Competition this Saturday promises to be ‘sensational’ and it is free for spectators.
‘Fifty-five buskers from Ballarat to Wollongong will fill Narooma with all kinds of wonderful music; we even have belly dancers, a circus act and a children’s show,’ said the excited Festival co-ordinator Sandra Doyle. ‘Narooma will certainly be buzzing.’
‘Each act will play through the day at four of 29 busker hot spots around town that are sponsored by the adjacent businesses, with music ranging from country, blues, jazz and rock, to classical, African drumming and Scottish bagpipes,’ she said.
The Festival is hosted by Narooma Rotary Club, partnered with River of Art, and is part of the Australian National Busking Championships (ANBC).
Profiles of some of the registered buskers are on the website and on Facebook.
A programme listing each act and the timetable for each hot spot (9am-3pm) will be available online and in hard copy on the day from an information stall opposite the Ice Creamery, from the Visitors’ Centre and from the sashed roving Busker Vote sellers.
‘Not all buskers will be competing. For those that are, every spectator can vote for their favourite busker for the People’s Choice prize of $1,000 by buying a special busker vote from our sellers, each vote costs $1,’ said Festival committee member Lynda Ord.
‘We count up votes for each busker to determine the winner. Of each $1 vote, the busker gets 10 cents. If the purchaser writes their name on the back of each vote, they enter a lucky draw. Each busker keeps any coin they collect.’
Judges will also be roaming around listening to all competitors throughout the day, with the overall winner’s prize also $1,000.
‘We’re absolutely thrilled at how this festival has been embraced by our community, especially businesses,’ Mrs Ord said. ‘Symons will operate a free bus through the day to ferry people between busking hot spots.’
‘Many people have volunteered to help with the smooth running of the day including Lions, Quota, View, CWA and VRA members.
The Festival begins with a free concert by The String Family on Friday night at Club Narooma at 8.30pm, and culminates with a free concert at Narooma Golf Club on Saturday with the String Family Quartet from 4pm, followed by a concert by finalists at 5pm and the presentation of prizes.
The Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Eurobodalla will have a display at Narooma Visitors’ Centre.
Winners from the Narooma Festival, as well as the three other regional events, will be invited to compete in the National Grand Final in Cooma in November.
For more information: busking.naroomarotary.org.au and facebook.com/ANBC Narooma.
Above: Fifty-five buskers are heading to Narooma this Saturday for the inaugural Narooma Busking Festival and Competition. Here are some of them.
Above: Busking Map - Narooma Busking Festival map showing busker hot spots, parking and bus route on Saturday. Map with timetable of busker performances will be available online and on the day. Base map courtesy Narooma Publishing.
