Bringing life, colour and music to the streets is the first edition of the Pafos International Street Festival, taking place this August and September. A whole week of entertainment, family fun, and laughter awaits from August 26 to September 1.

Across the festival’s seven days, a wide variety of performances from international artists will add colour to seven different locations in Paphos. Up to 24 performances each evening are planned from acrobatics and circus skills to comedy, clowning, music and dance.

The festival is open to all, there are no tickets to be purchased. Instead, audiences decide what to pay each artist at the end of the show. “Performing in public places for gratuities,” explain organisers, “the hat tradition (or busking), dates back to antiquity. The contribution by members of the audience was traditionally placed in a hat that was passed around. Nowadays, street performance is practised all over the world and passersby, who enjoy the performance, similarly put money into a hat for the performers – this is the primary payment for the artists.”

Enjoying the festival’s performances and witnessing talented artists from all over the world including the USA, Malaysia, Australia, Ghana, Brazil, France and Argentina, is an opportunity for Cyprus audiences to learn more about the art and value of street performance.

The brains behind this festival are Richard Handley and Paphos Friends. Richard is an English comic entertainer who has performed at many festivals in Europe, Australasia and the Middle East; Jane Kayantas is a facilitator, organiser and supporter of the arts while Tonie Scott, a former School Principal and teacher and currently, a steward team leader at the world-famous Glastonbury Festival, are leading the way. Along with the help of some friends, the Municipality of Paphos and local businesses, the festival’s first edition was able to take flesh and bone and looks rather promising.

To kick off the activities, an opening procession will be held on August 26 between 6pm and 6.45pm with all of the participating artists. Acrobats, fire show performers, jugglers, clowns, stilt walkers, musicians, dancers, magicians and all sorts of artists that will perform with a touch of magic and awe will take part. The procession will start at the Bania and end at the Paphos Castle, inaugurating a whole week of street art, fun and magic.

1st Pafos International Street Festival

Week-long festival with street performers from all over the world. August 26-September 1. Kato Paphos and in Ktima, Paphos. www.pafosisfestival.com