Toronto’s annual BuskerFest kicks off Friday at its new home in Woodbine Park.

“For the first time ever, we’ll have green grass for people to sit on while they watch the show, and our very own beer garden,” said Mackenzie Muldoon, the festival’s entertainment director.

More than 100 buskers from around the world will descend on the park for three days of performances. Admission is by donation at the gates. Last year’s BuskerFest brought in around $250,000 last year, Muldoon said.

“It is our largest fundraiser for the year, and it keeps our programs going. The programs at Epilepsy Toronto allow them to live better lives through helping them to find jobs, through advocacy, through going into schools and teaching about epilepsy,” Muldoon said.

Muldoon said she’s particularly excited to see Israel’s Cirque No Problem, a husband-and-wife acrobatic team that the festival has been trying to line up for years. This is the couple’s first time performing in Canada.

“We love it. We’ve been here for two months already. Everything is so relaxed and easygoing,” said Noa Weiss.

She and her husband, Uri, have spent the summer on the road in Canada with their 5-year-old daughter, Hally, hitting stops in Edmonton, Grand Prairie, Red Deer and Sylvan Lake, Alta., as well as Port Credit and Waterloo. Toronto is the last hurrah before heading home, but Noa said her small family is accustomed to life on the road.

“Hally’s used to it. The first time we went on the road was when she was 2 and a half months old, and we haven’t really stopped,” Noa said.

The festival runs Sept. 2-5 at Woodbine Park.

Walking tall

The MaracaTALL group performs at Woodbine Park during a media sneak peak of the talent coming to this year’s BuskerFest. The festival will see more than 100 buskers from around the world.

A family affair

Uri Weiss, one half of the husband-and-wife duo Cirque No Problem, shows off part of his acrobatic act. Weiss and his wife, Noa, are from Israel, and spent most of the year on the road with their 5-year-old daughter, Hally.

Fishy business

Money Fish, from the Hercinia Arts Collective, will also be performing. The festival, which kicks off Friday, is a fundraiser for Epilepsy Toronto.

No sleight of hand here

Magician Max T. Oz performs a card trick for Jasper Hill. Admission to the annual BuskerFest is by donation at the gates. Mackenzie Muldoon, the festival’s entertainment director, said last year’s festival raised around $250,000 for Epilepsy Toronto.

Getting limbered up

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The money raised at the gate goes to Epilepsy Toronto and, in exchange, performers such as Mexico’s Pancho Libre get to keep whatever donations they collect in the hat passed after each performance.

Shake, rattle and roll

Toronto’s Silver Elvis, a.k.a. Peter Jarvis, is one of many performers from the city who will be part of BuskerFest this year. Muldoon said that nearly 1 in every 100 Torontonians has epilepsy. The annual busking festival is Epilepsy Toronto’s biggest annual fundraiser.

A tricky balance

“If you have one table, two trays, one vase of flowers, four china cups, four china saucers, three spoons, two knives, one tea set and one tablecloth, and one spectacularly lonely life, you too can try this when you get home,” joked juggler Matt Ricardo as he showed off his skills.

Running in circles

Bex in Motion performs at a media preview ahead of BuskerFest’s official opening. The festival runs Sept. 2-5 at Woodbine Park.