Months of planning will come to fruition in downtown Moncton this weekend.

The inaugural Moncton International Buskers Festival begins Friday afternoon.

It is a three-day event being presented by Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc. (DMCI) and the City of Moncton.

Patrick Richard, executive director of DMCI, said they have been working on this event for the past six months.

“People definitely are familiar with the festival in Halifax,” said Richard, referring to the world-renowned Halifax Busker Festival.

“A lot of people were giving us feedback that they’d like to see something like that here.”

Performers will take over a number of stages that are set up throughout the city’s downtown.

Richard said the two main busker stages will be located at Riverfront Park along Assompotion Boulevard.

“We’ve brought in some world-class busker performers,” he said. “I really think there is a bit of everything for everyone.”

In total, over 25 artists will entertain the crowds in over 70 scheduled performances throughout the weekend.

Sweden’s Got Talent winner Charlie Caper, a musician from Stockholm, will be among the participants. There will also be a fire juggler, aerialists, acrobats, a hula hoop expert, and a world-class soccer juggler.

“People can expect to come down and see a performance every 40 to 45 minutes on the main stages,” said Richard.

There will also be a music stage with local artists at Riverfront Park from noon to 5 p.m. every day.

Local buskers and musicians will also perform at City Hall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day and at Oak Lane from noon to 4 p.m. Friday.

In addition to the entertainment, Richard said there will also be food trucks and non-food vendors at Riverfront Park throughout the weekend.

There will also be fireworks around 9:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday being put on by the East Coast Classic slo-pitch tournament taking place at the Hal Betts Sportsplex.

While all of the performances are free, Richard said people are encouraged to tip the buskers.

“Their livelihood is tips, so they do welcome tips,” he said. “The general rule of thumb is you pay what you can spare.”

Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold said they are thrilled to add this festival to their lineup of summer offerings.

“Showcasing the interactive art form of busking, will bring such an energy to our downtown and provide visitors and residents alike with one more reason to get out and enjoy the summer weather and all Downtown Moncton has to offer,” Arnold said in a news release.

The entertainment starts daily at noon. You can find the full schedule on the Moncton International Buskers Festival’s website.