Busking business blossoms in Bern and beyond

Regardless of whether the street performers strike it rich, buskers festivals are striking a chord in many parts of the world. In the Swiss capital, Bern, there’s a prize much bigger than hats brimming with spare change. A sign at the corner of the stage promotes CDs, T-shirts and vinyl while a man in a goofy hat works his way through the crowd in the Bern square, Rathausplatz. He’s collecting money and selling merchandise for a British-based blues rock band called Wille and the Bandits. “He’ll do a little dance if you ask him to. Likes having his bum pinched, too!” jokes the singer, urging audience members to engage in some sort of a transaction. The setting is the Buskers Bern festival, which celebrated its 12th year this summer. The three-day event featured 42 acts with 145 performers from 18 countries. Half of the acts were musical, the rest involved clowns, dancers and other artists. “Our network is big and we have many contacts and ...