The Lawrence Busker Festival Presents The World's First All-Female Busker Festival

The city of Lawrence, Kansas has been the home of many notable women of incredible strength and will. After the town burned down and most of the men were killed in the mid-1800s, it was the women of Lawrence who brought it back. Since then, many women from Lawrence have gone onto becoming fighters and survivors. Erin Brockovich the activist, and Lynette Woodward the first female Harlem Globetrotter come to mind.

This year the Lawrence Busker Festival will be honoring and highlighting the incredible women of the street performer world. It's the 12th year of the iconic Lawrence event that features buskers (a.k.a street performers) on the streets of Downtown Lawrence for 3 days, May 24-26th. More than 20 different acts will perform in 5 different locations throughout the district. Local, national, and international musicians, magicians, jugglers, contortionists, comedians, fire performers, and other amazing women will showcase their talents at this free event.

Why all women? Richard Renner, the festival producer said, "Women buskers have told me they often feel overlooked at festivals and that they are in the minority. I believe we can highlight some amazing women and change that."

Linsey Lindberg has performed for the last 12 years as Mama Lou Strongwoman and is a Lawrence Busker Festival favorite. It's not unusual for her audience to be full of young girls who emulate her feats of strength at home. She thinks that it's necessary to be a role model and promote self-empowerment for women.

This year you can expect to see past favorites like Mama Lou, Martika Daniels the sideshow stuntwoman, Bekah Smith juggler and fire performer, and Voler the aerial artist troupe. Joining them for the first time will be several acts from Canada, Germany, and Australia.

New this year are:

• Sharon Mahoney: A comedic character from Ontario, Canada whose variety show highlights the funny nature of all things Canadian.

• Sara Twister: A highly-skilled contortionist and entertainer, and one of the world's very rare acrobatic archers.

• Sarah Kunz: An internationally renowned street performer whose act combines contortion, acrobatics, juggling, comedy, gymnastics, and hula-hooping.

• Molly Keczan: The Farmer's Daughter from Newfoundland who mixes agricultural jokes and down-home humor with lariat tricks, mild bottle balancing, and much more!

In addition, local non-profit organizations who serve women and children will be featured.

The annual Art Tougeau Art Car Parade is partnering with the Lawrence Busker Festival for the third year in 2019. The Parade features vehicles transformed into art. Cars dressed up with dental devices, pop bottle tops, and chalk paint are regulars at the parade. The cars will be on display on the evening of Friday, May 25th, and the parade begins at noon Saturday, May 26th.

The Lawrence Busker festival is a whole weekend of weirdness that locals and visitors look forward to each year. The event brings people from all over the country to experience the unmistakably different culture of Lawrence, Kansas.

Learn more about the Lawrence Busker Festival at LawrenceBuskerFest.com.

About the Lawrence Busker Festival: The Lawrence Busker Festival is produced by Busker Festivals, Inc., a non-profit created to promote street performing opportunities and educational training. Busker Festivals, Inc. is active in several cities in America as an organizer and advocate for buskers everywhere.

About eXplore Lawrence: eXplore Lawrence represents the travel and tourism for Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas. We are dedicated to creating economic development by attracting visitors, conventions, and events to our city.