The Buskers Festival was first conceived by event staff at the Cairn's Esplanade in 2006 and has been a work in-progress ever since.

With humble beginnings as a concept to liven up the streets of Cairns, the Buskers Festival was designed to put world class buskers on our streets and to create a platform to harness, grow and showcase the extreme amount of artists we have in Cairns and the far north.

In only one year this festival has grown from a "one off" opportunity into the largest street performance festival in North Queensland.

This year we have added extra elements to the program with:

1. Street Theatre Workshops from touring artists
2. SMS audience voting options for the Street Star Buskers Competition
3. One Night Stand Comedy Club and L-after Party

We hope to build on these elements year after year but this will require more support and sponsorship to facilitate. We want the Cairns community to see and witness the broad appeal and opportunities within this event and therefore financially and creatively support and grow this with us into a world class festival.

The Buskers Festival is at a crucial time of its life and will require the support and commitment of Cairns to keep it going and growing.

Busking is one of the oldest and most purposeful forms of art and it will have a place in this world for many years to come. I will leave you with these little facts to think or about now and when you are in town enjoying the buskers festival.

The Ergon Energy Cairns Street Buskers Festival has:

1. the broadest artists showcase in Cairns incorporating musicians, magicians, actors, comedians, percussionists, circus performers, professional bike and board sports tricksters, visual artists, dancers, costume makers, DJ and VJ ‘ing, poets, film, mine, actors, rappers and break dancers
2. the broadest audience base and appeal
3. the broadest amount of performers, performances and easily accessible venues
4. the most amount of community engagement and opportunity

...and does not cost a cracker to attend!