Scotiabank BuskerFest—a four-day street festival in support of Epilepsy Toronto that begins Thursday and runs through Sunday—gave a preview of its festivities at the inaugural Scotiabank BuskerBall at the St. Lawrence North Market on Tuesday evening. “BuskerFest is our signature event and our way, from an agency perspective, of raising awareness about epilepsy in the public at large," said Epilepsy Toronto executive director Geoff Bobb. "It’s also our primary fund-raiser."
Bobb said the organization decided to forgo a traditional black-tie gala and auction (which the charity has held for several years) in favor of a new fund-raiser for the festival's 10th anniversary. “This year we married the two of them together,” he said. “It’s just smart...we’re not paying for anything here tonight. All of the food vendors that you see here, all of the performers, they’re all donated because those people are also involved in the festival."
Epilepsy Toronto event marketing director Mackenzie Muldoon worked with festival director Bonnie Taylor and a planning committee involving more than 30 people to organize the event, which drew a crowd of 300 guests. “We wanted to create an atmosphere that was classy but with a bit of street to it,” Muldoon said. Organizers cordoned off a section of the courtyard outside the market building so guests could mingle while listening to busker band the Dirty Dishes and sampling food from St. Lawrence Market vendors such as Ontario Corn Roasters, Tiny Tom Donuts, and Grandpa Ken’s Peameal Bacon.
Park benches provided seating inside the venue, where staff from Vagabondo Ristorante served pasta in martini glasses, employees of the Market Kitchen taught guests how to make Thai spring rolls, and Yianni’s Greek Kitchen offered chicken gyros with Greek potatoes, salad, and rice. Second Cup provided a selection of desserts.
Electric violinist Dr. Draw performed for guests, who had the opportunity to pose for pictures in front of a balloon display created by the Twisted Ones. Attendees could also have their caricature painted or their portrait sketched by Etch A Sketch artist Lee Zimmerman. CTV news anchor Tom Hayes hosted the event, which included a live auction led by auctioneer Andrea Zeifman. Guests could bid on items like a balloon dress created by balloon artist Debbie Stevens, who presented a fashion show during the event.
The planning committee called on Laurie Dillon-Schalk, president of Social Wisdom, to coordinate a social media campaign to promote this year’s event. A group of 20 young volunteers will be posting updates, images, and video footage to Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube throughout the festival—a first for Epilepsy Toronto. The organization will also have information booths located throughout the festival grounds, and a 12-page insert is being published in The Toronto Star this week, Bobb said. “We get a lot of media attention to BuskerFest that we wouldn’t get to epilepsy,” he said.
Scotiabank, which has supported the festival for nine years, marks its third go as title sponsor this year. “It’s not what we would call one of the sexy causes," said Dayl Marks, senior manager of sponsorships and executive projects with Scotiabank. "It’s something that people hide, so we’re trying to educate people in Toronto.”
Marks noted that the bank does more than offer financial support to the festival. “Scotiabank employees are huge volunteers. The Friday of BuskerFest is Scotiabank Day, and we will have over 100 volunteers there throughout the day at the gate and on the grounds. So it’s not just financial. We try to do that with every event we participate in. It’s not, ‘Here’s our money and logo and goodbye,’” she said. “It’s about getting our employees involved, which is why we’re so diverse in our sponsorships.” (The bank is also the title sponsor of events such as Nuit Blanche, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, and the Caribana Festival.)
