The best Toronto non-Nuit Blanche 2026

Weather was perfect for Nuit Blanche 2026, vibe was great, art was so-so, as it mostly is every year. But the important point is to get out, socialize and explore the city. Sometimes the stuff you see around town is art all by itself. This stilted street performer was a glowing treat at Love Park down at the waterfront in the photo at top.

Crowds, including some type of old soldier, gathered at Yonge and Dundas to watch a performer in a box. The television like cardboard box was opened to display a character dressed in white, with a white face mask. She was texting with people and you could communicate with her through Instagram: @hi_meta_angel (she had a display that said so).

The CN Tower looked extra special in blue tonite

There was a golden demon down at Yonge Dundas as well, probably buying souls

Busker Kate Mior shows us Madame Guillotine

She seems a little peeved that she was relieved of her head in some other lifetime and returns to seek retribution by chopping off some poor sod's head in a busker performance worthy of an oscar. Street performer, or busker, Kate Mior was down at Harbourfront near Queen's Quay Terminal to spread cheer to the crowds showing up on Canada Day 2025. I love summer and the buskers return to major tourist hotspots to entertain people in return for donations.

Kate takes a selfie with the victim

And grabs another volunteer from the crowd

celebrations ensue

Her main accessory for the day included a large guillotine with a shiny, angled blade while she dressed in a heavy, red gown and sported a curly white wig. She grabs someone from the audience and places a hood on the volunteer and places him gently in the guillotine, brings down the upper head holder and makes the rope ready to drop the blade.

Then she goes back into the audience for another volunteer, has fun with the crowd and in a moment full of drama, pulls the rope and drops the infamous blade of the guillotine onto the neck of the kneeling victim. I forgot if he lived or died so be careful if you see Kate perform, you might not want to be the victim.

@jmhcet Buskers are back at #harbourfront #toronto. Kate Muir as #marieantoinette tries to remove someone's head on #canadaday🇨🇦 ♬ Sharp Dressed Man (2008 Remaster) - ZZ Top

Toronto Buskerfest 2022

The fun starts Friday, September 2nd at noon in Woodbine Park on seven stages and throughout the park as performers put on shows over the Labour Day long weekend festival.

The Busking Ballerina 

The Fire Guy Show

Don't forget to bring some cash to tip the performers with professional buskers like The Fire Guy, Bex in Motion and The Construction Guys work hard to bring top notch entertainment to Toronto.

From the Festival's website, "The Toronto International BuskerFest is one of the biggest street performer festivals in North America, and is the largest epilepsy event on the planet!"

Friday, September 2, Noon – 11pm
Saturday, September 3, 11am – 11pm
Sunday, September 4, 11am – 10pm
Monday, September 5, 11am – 8pm

Festival Map 2022

Friday's stage schedule 

See more photos after the jump.

Bex is back in Motion

Hula hoop and flame performer Rebecca Zelewicz, known as Bex in Motion, takes advantage of the spring weather to put on a show in Yonge-Dundas Square. I believe she said she was away from Canada for awhile but has come back to entertain the crowds in Toronto.

"After finding hoop dance through an after school program in teachers’ college, Bex and her hoop have been inseparable. Inspired by her gymnastics and yoga background, Bex is a masterful performer in multi-hoop tricks, fire and LED entertainment. Her comedy and interaction with the audience will put a spring in your step and a smile to your face. She has performed across Canada and internationally including New Zealand, India, and Switzerland. She dazzles crowds large and small and loves working with clients to create the ultimate shows, events and workshops. Young or young-at-heart, Bex puts on a show that is sure to move you!"

I last saw Bex in 2016 down at Harbourfront - see my post here. See more photos after the jump.

Toronto Buskerfest 2017

The 'Beaches' Buskerfest, which moves every couple of years, continues at Woodbine Park with a stream of talented street performers from around the world. Full of vendors, food trucks, a mini ribfest, beer garden, musical guests and a children's fair, the entertainment will keep you tapping to the beat while you enjoy more room than the former locations in the St Lawrence Market Area and downtown Yonge Street site. On from Friday, September 1 to Sunday, September 4 you may want to take public transit to get to the festival because it is hard to find any parking spaces available and surround the stage early or you will find yourself behind a couple rows of people watching the act. NorthFIRE is featured in the photo at top,

"Epilepsy Toronto is proud to announce that the 18th annual Toronto International BuskerFest for Epilepsy will once again take place in Woodbine Park in The Beach, serving up its non-stop, action-packed, fun-filled entertainment over the Labour Day weekend, Friday September 1 through Monday September 4. Since its inception in 2000, the Toronto International BuskerFest has featured hundreds of the best street performers from around the world, hosted millions of amazed spectators and helped raise much-needed funds for Epilepsy Toronto through visitors’ donations at the gate. Now in its 18th year, the event is widely recognized as one of the best and biggest street performer festivals in the universe, and the largest epilepsy awareness event in the world!"

It's a busker snake in Toronto

A street performer brought his snake sidekick for photo opportunities down to Yonge and Dundas, just outside the Toronto Eaton Centre. I can tell it wasn't a Garter Snake but I am unsure if it is a boa or a python.

People came up to the handler and he draped the snake around the person's neck. The snake was calm, beautiful and had to be over six feet long.

See more photos of the snake after the jump.

Street Performer: Cat

Not all buskers, street performers or panhandlers are human, sometimes they are animals and sometimes they can be cute, scary or in many cases, uninterested in the whole process. This cat is wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, sitting in a little cat bed at Yonge and Dundas at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre and just chilling. While he doesn't particularly care if you give money, his human sure does and the sign says he is looking for rent money.

Winter Buskers in Toronto

Cold weather can't keep some street performers away from the public, especially around Christmas or when you are dressed as busker Claus. Ho Ho Ho.

This is a mini-me type of situation going on

Weekend Buskers in Toronto

If you are near Yonge-Dundas or Harbourfront don't forget to keep an eye out for street performers. I always love seeing Toronto Batman, too bad about his parents though. The talented individuals are working hard to earn some of your cash. The best time to see them is the weekend as thousands flock downtown for shopping, entertainment or to visit their favourite restaurant or bar.

I haven't seen Silver Elvis in awhile, he might be in Silver Graceland eating a silver peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Bex in Motion

She brings the flaming hula hoops to Harbourfront and as the crowd gathers around her, they fear for her life as she is so close to the burning black marshmallow type things. Her warm up act features a gradual buildup of spinning hoops, from one to four, before she brings two helpers in from the audience and has them throw ten hoops at her. I counted and there were indeed ten hula hoops that were flung and quickly incorporated into her spinning act.

Bex in Motion was inspired by her birthday, which apparently was today, and her finale featured two flaming hula hoops.

The talented street performer also has a great sense of humour and she started in the big leagues last year when she joined the artists at the Toronto Buskerfest.

Spiderman, Spiderman

Does whatever a spider can. Toronto Spiderman was spinning some webs down at Yonge and Dundas, enoying the sun of early spring. Thank goodness that the warmer weather is bringing out some street performers to entertain us.