Orchard Project Event To Support Saratoga Hospital
(Photos from 2017 BUSK! event in Saratoga Springs)
SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Orchard Project will host its second-ever BUSK!, a free public event on Sunday, June 3, to kick off a Saratoga Springs summer that features artists from the Orchard Project’s famed residencies, as well as beloved local acts. The Orchard Project is extending its core mission of supporting new voices and new work by incorporating different genres of street performance to create a space for experimentation and exploration. From family-friendly performances to installations, the format allows for a diverse array of artistry under one banner.
The Sunday public event kis the first in a summer-long diverse artist residency program. The second annual BUSK! will feature music acts, juggling stations, magic, clowning and more in and around sections of Congress Park behind the Casino and Carousel. Proceeds from the 2018 BUSK! event will support children’s healthcare at Saratoga Hospital and increase awareness for the importance of pediatric emergency care.
Visiting performers include Boston’s The Red Trouser Show (acrobats, comedians, and jugglers), NY’s Paris Paris (also called “The Hip Hop Juggler”), and NYC’s Brian Klimowski (Diablo, Yo-Yo, Stilt Walking and Magic).
“We are overjoyed to be working with the Saratoga Hospital as we continue the life of this new annual event as part of the Orchard Project’s summer season in Saratoga Springs,” says Orchard Project Artistic Director, Ari Edelson. “As we are taking place a few hours after the completion of the annual Cantina Kids Fun Run, we are also honored to continue a wonderful day supporting the work of Saratoga Hospital. Congress Park provides an ideal space for this event, allowing us to welcome visitors from Saratoga Springs and the surrounding area, and offers green, grassy seating from which our audiences can relax and enjoy an eclectic mix of local and world class performers. By elevating this classic and eclectic form, we can’t wait to use the talents of buskers from near and far to launch a great summer in Saratoga.”
Taking place on Sunday from 2 – 6 pm in Congress Park, BUSK! is a spontaneous, outrageous, family-friendly event that offers something for everyone — from local bands to magicians to spectacular circus artists and stunt performers.
The free festival culminates in a “Best of BUSK!” evening cabaret for Orchard Project members and friends, featuring famed chanteuse superstar Lady Rizo, at Putnam Place, kicking off at 8 pm.
Busking is a uniquely reciprocal art form: it allows viewers to watch a show, and decide for themselves how much of their attention, time and money it is worth. In many ways, it is one of the most honest forms of entertainment. In order to heighten this artistic communion normally found on street corners, The Orchard Project’s BUSK! will offer performance space and stage-time to artists most used to playing on corners.
For more information, visit OrchardProject.com.
