BUDDING buskers are being invited to get involved in a special celebration of street entertainment.

The ‘Big Busk Fest’ is being held as part of Wedmore’s popular week-long Arts Festival in May.

It's a chance for soulful singers, magical musicians, dazzling dancers and persuasive poets to join in with the Festival fun and to find a platform on which to perform in front of a live audience.

Gail Colthurst, who is helping co-ordinate the event, explained the big idea behind the busking-beanfeast.

She said: “Wedmore Arts Festival has been running extremely successfully for a number of years now and continues to grow in popularity offering a wide-ranging programme of events.

This year a new element, busking is being introduced which it is hoped will not only complement the main Festival and add a new dimension but will also provide an opportunity for local musicians and entertainers to showcase their talents in a more diverse way.”

Plenty of famous pop celebrities kick-started their careers busking, including Ed Sheeran and Rod Stewart; and classical stars, such as violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy, have often used busking as a way of helping to pay for musical tuition when students.

Wedmore Arts Festival’s busking mini-fest is open to all types of street entertainers whatever their ability, and in time-honoured busking fashion performers are welcome to put a collecting hat down and maybe earn themselves a few pounds.

The event is completely free to enter and will run in conjunction with the Arts Festival official programme from Sunday, May 7 to Sunday, May 14.

Gail said: “Buskers and street entertainers of all sorts - not just vocalists and musicians – are invited to give it a bash.

"So if you can sing, rap, play an instrument, perform poetry, dance, juggle or even fool passers-by with sleight-of-hand illusions then why not come along and give it a go”.

For further information on dates, times and official pre-allocated pitches or to register your interest phone or email Gail on 07747 184991, gail.colthurst@icloud.com or phone and leave a message on the Arts Festival hotline on 01934 807229.

All pitches must be pre-booked.