Over 30 shows per day starting at noon each day and finishing at 9:00 pm. The festival begins on Friday, August 4 and runs until Sunday, August 6th. International, national and local buskers will perform at four different stages throughout the downtown. For more information call 726 8244.

Friday, August 4th:

12:00 pm Corey Tabino at the Fortis building deck & Matt Sharpe Magic at Murray Premises

12:30 pm Becky Priebe at the Murray Premises Courtyard

1:00 pm The Blastoffs at the Scotia Center & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

1:30 pm Mason Dangers at the Fortis building deck

2:00 pm Ug at the Scotia Center & Kickstart at the Murray Premises

2:30 pm Michael James at Harbourside Park Cory Tabino at Scotia Center

3:00 pm Mason Dangers at Harbourside Park & Kickstart at Fortis deck

3:30 pm Blastoffs at Scotia Center & Becky Priebe at Murray Premises

4:00 pm Michael James at Harbourside Park & Ug at Fortis deck

4:30 pm Corey Tabino at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

5:00 pm Becky Priebe at Scotia Center & Blastoffs at Fortis deck

5:30 pm Kickstart at Harbourside Park & Matt Sharpe at Murray Premises

6:00 pm Mason Dangers at Murray Premises

6:30 pm Ug at Scotia Center & Michael James at Fortis deck

7:00 pm Becky Priebe at Harbourside Park & Blastoffs at Murray Premises

7:30 pm Mason Dangers at Scotia Center & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

8:00 pm Michael James at Murray Premises

8:30 pm Ug at Scotia Center & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

* Catch the Wandering Brush at various sites throughout the festival.

Saturday, August 5th:

12:00 pm Michael James at Scotia Center

12:30 pm Ug at Fortis deck & Matt Sharpe at Murray Premises

1:00 pm Cory Tabino at Harbourside Park & Kickstart at Murray Premises

1:30 pm Blastoffs at Harbourside Park & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

2:00 pm Mason Dangers at Scotia Center & Becky Priebe at Fortis deck & Kid's Players at Harbourside Park

2:30 pm Cory Tabino at Murray Premises

3:00 pm Michael James at Harbourside Park & Kickstart at Fortis deck & Kid's Players at Murray Premises

3:30 pm Ug at Scotia Center & Blastoffs at Murray Premises

4:00 pm Becky Priebe at Harbourside Park & Mason Dangers at Fortis deck & Kid's players at Murray Premises

4:30 pm Ug at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

5:00 pm Michael James at Scotia Center & Cory Tabino at Fortis deck

5:30 pm Mason Dangers at Harbourside Park & Matt Sharpe at Murray Premises

6:00 pm Becky Priebe at Murray Premises

6:30 pm Kickstart at Scotia Center & Ug at Fortis deck

7:00 pm Becky at Harbourside Park & Blastoffs at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

7:30 pm Michael James at Harbourside Park

8:00 pm Ug at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

8:30 pm Mason Dangers at Scotia Center

*Catch the Wandering Brush at various sites throughout the festival.

Sunday, August 6th:

1:00 pm Kickstart at Harbourside Park & Blastoffs at Scotia Center

1:30 pm Mason Dangers at Fortis deck & Matt Sharpe at Murray Premises

2:00 pm Ug at Harbourside Park & Michael James at Murray Premises & Kid's Players at Fortis deck

2:30 pm Cory Tabino at Scotia Center & Blastoffs at Murray Premises

3:00 pm Mason Dangers at Harbourside Park & Kickstart at Fortis deck & Kid's Players at Murray Premises

3:30 pm Blastoffs at Scotia Center & Becky Priebe at Murray Premises

4:00 pm Michael James at Harbourside Park & Ug at Fortis deck & Kid's Players at Murray Premises

4:30 pm Cory Tabino at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

5:00 pm Becky Priebe at Scotia Center & Blastoffs at Fortis deck & Mason Dangers at Murray Premises

5:30 pm Kickstart at Harbourside Park & Matt Sharpe at Murray Premises

6:00 pm Cory Tabino at Harbourside Park & Michael James at Fortis deck

6:30 pm Ug at Scotia Center & Michael James at Fortis deck

7:00 pm Becky Priebe at Harbourside Park & Blastoffs at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck

7:30 pm Michael James at Scotia Center

8:00 pm Ug at Murray Premises & Matt Sharpe at Fortis deck.

8:30 pm Mason Dangers at Scotia Center

* Catch the Wandering Brush at various sites throughout the festival.

Brought to you by:
Downtown Development Commission

Supported by:
Steele Communications
The Express

The city of St. John's will be spending an estimated $40,000 on a study combining business and realty tax. Essentially, the city wants to shift the burden of tax collection to the owners of the building, rather than the city trying to collect business tax from each individual business.

Such ideas have usually met with criticism from the local business community, and the Board of Trade has suggested the city fund a study of the proposal. Councillor Gerry Colbert wanted council to agree to live with the study's conclusions. Deputy Mayor Dennis O'Keefe says the study should be split 50/50, not fully funded by council, but Councillor Art Puddister feels it's worth it.

Corey Tabino
Cory Tabino has dazzled circus goers around the world with his irresistible handstand act. He has performed throughout Europe and North America and toured with Cirque du Soliel in “Saltimbanco.

Becky Priebe
Becky Priebe charms and cracks up her public using various absurd characters and her many hoola hoops.

Kickstart
Featuring Josh Oliver & Kat Finck, Kickstart is an explosive power duet featuring acrobatics, diabolo and a “smashing” finish.

The Blastoffs
James Burke, Jocelyn Wilson, David Mercer are an engaging troupe of clowns with great juggling and spectacular fiery finish.

Mason Dangers
This consummate busker has thrilled audiences around the world and is a regular fixture at the Montreal Jazz Fesival. Mason is a savvy crowd pleaser with a lot of tricks up his sleeve. His street smart show pulls his audience right into the action!

Michael James
Skilled sleight of hand, witty comedy, and a natural love of entertaining make for a unique, dynamic, comical, memorable, and most importantly... fun evening of Magic with Michael James!

Ug The Neanderthal Juggler
Throughout the ages since the beginning of mankind, people have pondered how and wondered why the art of juggling was discovered. Ug takes his audiences back in time, providing them with a wacky performance from a pre-historic perspective.

Matt Sharpe Magic
Local magician Matt Sharpe brings classic magic with a modern touch. Lots of magic, lots of interaction and lots of fun from one of the newest entertainers on the island.

Kids Players: Two Trunks and a Briefcase
A youth theatre group directed by Chris Driedzic present a bustling piece of street threatre that follows the journey of a briefcase and two trunks through the hands of three groups of characters.

The Wandering Artistic Brush
Try and catch Derek James & his wandering artistic brush doing body art for youth and adults throughout the festival at various venue sites.

The 3rd Annual Aliant Downtown Busker Festival is just 14 days away! Friday, August 4th to the 6th. Join us downtown as international, national and local buskers and performers take to the downtown for three days of free family fun.

The Blast Off's with Benni Malone; Kick Start with Josh Oliver and Kat Finck; Michael James and Ug the Neanderthal; Mason Dangers and Becky Priebe; Cory Tabino plus more.

Over 26 shows per day. A show every 30 minutes beginning each day at noon (except 1:00 pm on Sunday) and ending at 9:00 pm. Four performance stages. The Murray Premises Courtyard, Scotia Center Plaza, Fortis building Promenade and Harbourside Park.

A complete festival schedule will be posted on Monday. For more information call 726 8244.

Brought to you by the Downtown Development Commission.

Sponsored by:
Aliant
Destination St. John's
St. John's Time
Respiratory Therapy Specialists Inc

Supported by:
The Express
Steele Communications

The President and CEO of Emergis says they're looking toward a great future. The company opened its first office in the province yesterday at the McMurdo Building on Water Street in St. John's. Emergis provides Pharmacy Management Systems are already work with over 60 percent of the Pharmacies in the Province.

François Coté says right now, they're working on several initiatives which includes a partnership with ZED I. T. Solutions and the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information to deploy the province's pharmacy network. Coté says this is just the beginning for the company in this province and they are already looking to expand.

VOCM July 21, 2006