This popular summer festival in Edmonton ​is going virtual

Street performer festival going virtual A popular Edmonton festival is moving off the street and online, as it prepares to go virtual this year. Graham Neil has more.

EDMONTON — The International Street Performers Festival is going from the street to the screen, doing a virtual version of their event in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The artistic producer, Shelley Switzer, says it took some juggling to move to a streaming format, but it was worth the effort to keep it going.

"We still need to have that spirit that essence of the festival with the people more than ever," Switzer says. 'We needed to get the fun, the silly, the action, the activity, all of that happening in people's homes."

The virtual festival will be happening on their website with three areas to explore, the Troupe Zone, the Share Zone and the Play@Home Zone.

The Troupe Zone will let you watch street performers from around the world perform five original shows and five tribute performances filmed at festivals going back to the early 90s.

"We have 35 years of comfort, joy, memories and laughs," says Switzer.

The Play@Home Zone will feature popular street performers such as Phileas Flash and Gustavo the Impossibilist conducting workshops to teach you everything from balloon sculpting to juggling.

"I envision families in their backyards with things that they found in their home to be able to play and exercise," says Switzer.

You are able to show off those new skills in the Share Zone where people are encouraged to post pictures and videos of themselves and enter contests for prizes. Australia's Common People Dance Project will be teaching a choreographed routine that families can learn and then share their moves.

"We're asking people to film themselves doing the routine and then a week after that we will post the mash-up," says Switzer.

New content will be rolled out in each section every day during the virtual festival and Switzer hopes the online experience will help you break free from boredom

"Now is the time to take a little breath and find a little smile and just begin to find those brighter moments in your day."

The virtual edition of the Edmonton International Street Performers festival runs July 3 to 12. ​