26 Nov 2024

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Seventeen acts will busk their way through more than 200 performances over 10 days as the World Buskers Festival returns to the streets of Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Sam Wills, aka Tape Face, started his career at the World Buskers Festival and will bring his iconic show back after nine years building his career in the US. 

Timaru-born and now performing in Las Vegas, Tape Face will headline one of the 15 affordable ticketed shows for families and adults. 

"It’s great to be coming back to Christchurch for the World Buskers Festival 2025 to celebrate 20 years of Tape Face. Christchurch is where I was able to launch the show and it’s exciting to bring it home again,” Wills says. 

The World Buskers Festival is one of Ōtautahi Christchurch’s most-loved and cherished festival events. The programme for the 2025 event has just been launched, and this summer the new-look event team is promising to bring buskers back to the streets “in a big way”. 

“We’re excited to take this festival in a fresh direction showcasing international and New Zealand acts,” says HooHa Productions co-director Drew James. 

“We’ve been working alongside the amazing circus community in Ōtautahi, and Māori and Pasifika co-curators to develop a programme that is uniquely from Ōtautahi.” 

That means the festival will “take over the streets” with pay-what-you-can performances alongside ticketed shows, James says. 

The festival will be the culmination of months of work by James and co-director Pitsch Leiser, two of New Zealand’s most experienced festival and event producers and directors.   

While they’re excited to bring high-quality performers from across the world to Christchurch, Leiser says a huge focus on the 2025 event is to boost and amplify the incredible talent already here. 

"From cabaret to pogo jumping, comedy to burlesque, crowds will see a balance of beloved favourites and first-time entrants, with many world-famous and fresh off the plane from festivals across the world.” 

The 10-day World Buskers Festival kicks off on 24 January and, as per tradition, will be based in around the Christchurch CBD.  

“Central Christchurch is exciting, vibrant and filled with optimism. With its mix of buzzing laneways and green spaces, it’s an amazing stage for an event that is famous all around the world for bringing the world’s best street performers together.” 

There is a real desire from performers to come to New Zealand, Leiser says, with 14 international performers and nine countries being represented for 2025.  

“People have been falling over themselves to come to the World Buskers Festival. It’s clear many see the festival as a bucket list location and where there is potential to accelerate their career. 

“We’ve had hundreds of applications, and narrowing these down to the best of the best has been an agonising process. We’re delighted with where the programme has landed and think audiences will be too,” Leiser says. 

Karena Finnie, ChristchurchNZ Head of Major Events, says ChristchurchNZ is “incredibly proud” to bring this much-loved festival back to the streets of Ōtautahi Christchurch.  

“This iconic event perfectly encapsulates our city’s spirit of balance and play, showcasing our vibrant cultural centre and promoting our revitalised beating heart to the country and the world.”  

“This year’s festival delivers workshops and learning programmes that will make you want to run away with the circus! On top of these incredible learning opportunities for our future performers, we’re excited to see the star-studded local line-up and a homegrown feel, with Māori and Pasifika talent woven throughout the festival,” says Finnie. 

The 2025 World Buskers Festival programme will continue to expand as more artists are added, James says, so be sure to keep an eye out on the festival website.

“We’ve got a big focus on ensuring the programme is representative of Aotearoa New Zealand’s diversity. We will be adding some more incredible performers to the lineup over coming weeks – so watch this space.” 

Bookings for the ticketed events are now available at www.worldbuskersfestival.co.nz.