Buskers Festival pitch perfect for city business

Things are heating up in Christchurch as temperatures soar and buskers set the streets alight, boosting business in the city.

Christchurch Art Gallery Director Jenny Harper says the World Buskers Festival “is certainly good for business”.

In the first three days of the festival, the Art Gallery has hosted more than 8200 visitors.

“Having the Buskers Festival here in Christchurch is mutually beneficial,” Ms Harper says.

“It has brought people into town, and through our doors. Hosting the buskers in the Art Gallery forecourt has been brilliant. We love our forecourt being actively used as it helps to put us at the ‘heart of the city’.

“So many families have taken the opportunity to watch the buskers and to tour the Art Gallery. We are already ahead of the visitor numbers for the same time last year.”

People are pouring into central city spaces to watch the buskers.

Central City Business Association Manager Paul Lonsdale describes the festival as “a fantastic opportunity for city businesses”.

“It brings so many people into the central city,” Mr Lonsdale says. “Festival goers are also having a coffee and doing some shopping after the shows.

“For some, it’s the first time that they are seeing the rebuilt CBD.

“As someone commented to me recently, ‘people are missing out if they don’t come in and enjoy the festival and experience the new central city environment’.”

Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar co-owner Keith Anderson says the World Buskers Festival “is massive for Christchurch”.

“If you want to be part of the festival, you can,” he says. “You just need to embrace it.

“With the amazing weather and so many people – it’s been great for business.

“We have set up a sidewalk coffee and ice cream bar (near the buskers’ pitch in front of the Art Gallery) to meet the demand. We just love it. Seeing all the people on the city streets.

“It’s still school holidays, so you can bring the kids into the central city. There are lots of families, and so many people from out of town are coming back for another visit.”

World Buskers Festival Director Melissa Haberfield says street pitches have been full, with capacity crowds at all venues at the weekend.

“Cathedral Square on Friday night was a wonderful experience, with large crowds enjoying the first shows back in the square since the earthquakes,” she says.

“Forward bookings for the rest of the festival are looking fantastic too, so we’re encouraging people to pre-book to avoid the disappointment of missing out.”