International Buskers Festival coming to Kamloops

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Victoria International Buskers Festival

June 14, 2017 - 1:30 PM

KAMLOOPS - Victoria's loss is Kamloops' gain as the tournament capital gets set to host an international buskers festival next year.

After organizers of Victoria's International Buskers Festival announced it wouldn't be hosting a 2017 event, the future of the festival seemed unsure. But the City of Kamloops has come to the rescue.

While Kamloops won't be hosting the festival this year, the City is getting ready to bring the street entertainers to town in summer of 2018.

According to the Victoria International Buskers Festival's website, which hosted the event for six year, a lack of funding led to the cancellation of the 2017 season.

The City's special events supervisor Sean Smith says they are always looking for new events to bring to town.

"It’s a little different than the typical sporting events we are known for going after," he says. "The cultural aspect is a critical point."

Smith says the opportunity to host the festival was opened up to communities across the province, but Kamloops ultimately became the new site, at least for the 2018 season.

He expects both locals and tourists to take in the festival next summer. No dates have been officially set, but more details are expected to be released later this year.

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