Here in Christchurch we love our World Buskers Festival and the 2012 event is the biggest ever! And it’s a very special, post-earthquake festival, held almost entirely in ‘Busker Park’ (AKA North Hagley Park!). Hold onto your hats for 10 days and 11 nights of entertainment by 60 top street performers from around the globe.

“Christchurch has never deserved a good laugh and a bit of fun more than now and we’re thrilled that after such a difficult 12 months we can bring Christchurch the biggest and best buskers’ festival it’s ever seen,” says the festival’s artistic director Jodi Wright.

“We’ve got 60 acts from 12 countries taking part in the festival and everyone is really excited about being here. A lot of the buskers specifically asked to be included in the line-up because they really want to see Christchurch smiling again and they can’t wait to get up on stage and start performing.”

Busker Park will feature, for the first time, Le Tigre Bleu – a European-style mini cabaret tent seating just 40 for intimate performances by the likes of The Daredevil Chicken Club, Devil Dan, Shep Huntly, Fraser Hooper and Rubberband Boy. Also look out for the Tui Birdcage Bar, where you can catch the Back Up Dancers and Kiwi busker Sam Wills (shows nightly from 7:30pm).

There’s also an adults-only show, the Christchurch Casino’s Midnight Carnivale, staged following the 10pm Christchurch Casino Comedy Hour at the Christchurch Casino’s Grand Café.

Kids don’t miss out either: The Tip Top Buskers Kid Pitch in the Botanic Gardens offers entertainment for young children and families every day from 11am.

All-day parking is available in Hagley Park for $3 throughout the festival.