Pogo Fred a favourite at Buskerfest as he bounces into Ottawa

[guest]

City planners, business groups and politicians who’ve long been looking for something to fill the Sparks Street Mall with people can halt their search. What draws the crowds, it seems, are escape artists, face painters, Elvis impersonators, stiltwalkers, magicians, trapeze artists and 18th-century French royalty performing slapstick.

At least that was certainly the case Saturday, as thousands of people crammed the usually barren pedestrian mall for the Ottawa International Buskerfest, where from far and wide — or at least from Bank Street to Elgin Street — children and oldsters alike were whispering, “Did you see Pogo Fred? Did you?”

The Ohio stunt pogo jumper — a multiple Guinness World Record-holder — performed backflips on his pogo stick (“He did! He did!”), and, according to 10-year-old eyewitness Naylah Arowolo, “He went through a tennis racket on a 10-foot pogo stick!”

And while Pogo Fred appeared to be the crowd favourite in unscientific, anecdotal polling, there was much else to enjoy in the five-stage, family friendly festival. Naylah’s friend Jayden Okenwa earned $10 as British escape artist Rob Roy Collins’s assistant, in a bit of mid-trick chicanery guaranteed to net the escapologist numerous sawbucks of his own from the audience. It was Jayden’s first visit to the busker festival, which, in its 24th year, runs this weekend until Monday. But his father, encouraged by neighbours to come en masse, says it won’t be the last.

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  Vancouver's Checkerboard Guy balances spinning balls at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Caricature artist Abbas, right, shows Kelly Perry and her daughter Emily the drawing he's done of them, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  A large crowd watches Toronto's Silver Starlets perform at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  A large crowd watches Toronto's Silver Starlets perform at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  British escape artist Rob Roy Collins escapes from his chains from atop a ladder. At the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  British escape artist Rob Roy Collins performs a Riverdance at the Ottawa International Buskerfest Saturday, before climbing a ladder to escape his chains. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Garan Reble, 4, enjoys the view from his father, David's Shoulders as he laughs at a busker, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  One half of the Flying Dutchmen duo juggles at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Sophie Boon, 6, poses with Silver Elvis, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Evan Bouchard, 5, awaits the completion of his green balloon squid, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Stiltwalkers perform at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Halifax's Chalkmaster Dave does his thing at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Alex Belzile checks out his painted face, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Alex Belzile has his face painted by Melissa Nigi, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Australian contortionist Lisa Lottie performs a hula hoop act at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Australian contortionist Lisa Lottie performs a hula hoop act at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Drop some change in front of him and Silver Elvis gyrates -- almost like the real thing! At the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Toronto busker Madame Guillotine and audience volunteer Mike Raymond, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  
  
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  Toronto busker Madame Guillotine prepares to balance a three-layer cake on her chin, at the 24th annual Ottawa International Buskerfest. Bruce Deachman / Ottawa Citizen
  

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“We’ve lived here for 15 years, but this is our first time at the festival. I think I’m going to make it an annual thing,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere. I think it should be expanded.

“It’s also nice to support the performers,” he added. “But also, people who can’t afford to can still come.”

Naylah and her family have attended each of the past five or six years. “We like all the different acts,” said her father, Femi, “and the kids find it really funny.”

That said, it’s an extremely hot venue on days such as Saturday, when the mercury hit 26 C and the humidex nearly scraped the 30 mark, and there’s precious little shade or water to slake visitors’ thirsts. Richard Terzi admitted the heat and crowds were deterrents to him making his inaugural trip to Buskerfest, but added he was glad he acquiesced to 11-year-old daughter Julia’s request. But how could he not after she’d done her research beforehand, checking out the website to see which performers she wanted to watch (Pogo Fred, contortionist Lisa Lottie and Rob Roy Collins, fyi) and when.

“Pogo Fred was very cool,” he admitted, as they headed off to see the next on Julia’s list.

Emily Perry, who moved to Ottawa from Barrington, N.S., two years ago and previously enjoyed Halifax’s busker festival each summer, attended the festival Saturday with her visiting mother, Kelly. Emily agrees that Ottawa’s venue could stand a little respite from the heat, but she’s not complaining. “I grew up coming to the buskers every summer, so I just love it. It’s fun just watching the performers.

“You have to see Jaardu, the Indian magician. He did the coolest magic trick I’ve ever seen.”

The Ottawa International Buskerfest continues on the Sparks Street Mall until Monday. Visit ottawabuskerfestival.com for more information.

bdeachman@ottawacitizen.com

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