A professional beatboxer and professional hula hooper are just a few acts making a splash at Berkshire Busk! this Friday, August 1, and Saturday, August 2. This weekend, the festival will also partner with the Mason Public Library for a special performance for kids on Saturday afternoon.
Friday Highlights: Magic, Beatboxing, Folk, and Blues
While Friday marks Gene Shinozaki’s first appearance at Berkshire Busk!, he is no stranger to busking. Shinozaki arrived at Berklee by way of California but dropped out to pursue beatboxing. Beatboxing is the art of creating rhythm and sound effects using only the human voice and a microphone.
His street performances of his craft eventually led to larger venues, including the season 10 finale of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Shinozaki will return to his roots on the Haddad Subaru Stage on Railroad Street.
Busking magician Darren Yong returns to Berkshire Busk! on the lower end of Railroad Street at the Warrior Trading Stage. Yong has been perfecting his act for over 25 years and has taken his talents across the world, including Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, Covent Garden in London, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Throughout the rest of downtown, lots of great musicians will be playing out on the street for tips. David Reed brings his talents to the Berkshire Money Management Stage, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Pagnani, folk singer Warren Sieme, and guitarist Paul Mu-Sic can be found throughout Main Street. Balloon Ben will also be back twisting up creations for young festival goers.
Saturday Highlights: Professional Hula Hooping and Classic Berkshire Musicians
In a new twist, Jack Waldheim is the latest addition to the lineup of buskers coming to Great Barrington this summer. Waldheim is well known across the Berkshires both as a solo artist and for his band The Criminal Hearts. Waldheim was handpicked for Berkshire Busk! by the festival’s friends at FreshGrass Festival, which returns to North Adams from September 19 to September 24. He can be found on the Haddad Subaru Stage.
Lessa Hoops returns to Berkshire Busk! on Saturday for her first performance, having been rained out of her debut last summer. Lessa is known for her high-energy, comedic display of her hula hooping and contortionist talents; she can be found on the Warrior Trading Stage at 7:15 and 8:45 p.m.
Attendees can also catch the music of The Decoys at the Berkshire Money Management Stage, as well as Katherine Winston, Jeffrey Kirn, and Deb Cavanaugh throughout the rest of downtown. Outside of music, Deb Carver will paint faces all evening, and a wide array of local artisans and nonprofits can be found at the Saturday Night Market.
Extended Schedule on Saturdays: The Magnificent Monster Circus at Mason Public Library
On Saturday afternoon, Berkshire Busk! is partnering with the Mason Public Library to bring the Magnificent Monster Circus to Great Barrington. The show is produced by John and Megan Regan of Cactus HeadPuppets and invites kids to participate in their fun, zany puppet show. Families can head to the library at 1 p.m. for the show, which lasts for approximately 40 minutes.
The rest of Berkshire Busk!’s extended schedule will continue on as usual:
Singer-songwriter Jaane Doe begins the day for music lovers at the Great Barrington Farmers’ Market from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Outside of her evening appearance, Deb Carver will also be painting faces outside of Robin’s Candy from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Americana group Mike Cobb & The Crevulators will follow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the festival’s satellite stage at Berkshire Mountain Distillers.
Berkshire Busk! is free to attend and takes place in downtown Great Barrington every Friday and Saturday evening, from June 27 to August 30. Primary festival programming begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit the Berkshire Busk! website for information on parking, free transportation options, and the full schedule of events.
