Kingston Buskers Rendezvous Grand Finale crowns The Gipsy Marrionettist People’s Choice winner

Kingston Buskers Rendezvous came to an end yesterday evening with a Grand Finale that crowned The Gipsy Marrionettist as this year’s People’s Choice Award winner.

The Gipsy Marrionettist won over festival audiences with his charming, hand-carved puppets.
Winning People’s Choice means he is invited to return next year to, once again, wow audiences.

BGC South East was also a winner at this year’s Grand Finale, with just over $1,100 raised by the

performers as they passed the hat benefiting the organization. BGC South East has a decades-
long history in providing high-quality child and youth programs in our community.

Thousands of people flocked to this year’s festival which included a Friday night fire and glow
show, an artisan market, and the festival’s first-ever sensory-friendly show produced in
partnership with the Maltby Centre.

“This was the 36th year of the festival,” says Sandi Griffiths, Events Manager with the Downtown
Kingston Business Improvement Area, the organization that produces the festival. “It’s one of the
longest running busking festivals in Canada, and that is largely due to the enthusiasm and
generosity of our audiences. Performers from all over the world want to perform here.”

Of the eight main circle show performances, seven were new to the festival, and three had never
been to Canada.

Plans are already underway for next year’s Kingston Buskers Rendezvous which will take place
from July 8-11, 2027.

Media release from Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area.