Adding to the ‘festival feel’ of Sheffield over the Tramlines weekend (20 and 21 July 2019) will be a programme of street entertainment brought to Sheffield by Professor Vanessa Toulmin, the University’s Director of City and Culture, Partnerships and Regional Engagement.
Some of the best UK street entertainers - including acts which regularly perform at London’s Covent Gardens and Glastonbury - will be in Barkers Pool and Orchard Square as well as ‘roaming’ the City Centre adding to the ‘carnival atmosphere’ which takes over Sheffield during Tramlines weekend.
This year’s line-up of street entertainers includes (amongst others) George Orange, an eccentric clown and slack-rope dancer from Chicago, Illinois; The Comedy Waiters, a silent comedy dinner service performed to a rousing soundtrack of music; and the infamous Granny Turismo, the first shopping trolley dance display team.
Tramlines weekend is a highlight of Sheffield’s event calendar and the street entertainment acts all add to the vibrancy of the City Centre.
Professor Vanessa Toulmin
Director of City and Culture, University of Sheffield
"This year the University’s programme of events is supported by Orchard Square, in partnership with their retailers, where you will see some of our famous street performers in action or catch them as they take their unique style and fun around the City Centre. You also won’t be able to miss the big Yellow Bus in Barker’s Pool where you can see the acts as well as find out about what else is happening during the Fringe over the weekend.”
This is the second year that the Fringe at Tramlines, run by Sheffield BID and Sheffield City Council, has been brought to the City Centre and Professor Vanessa’s street entertainment programme has been part of Tramlines since 2009, shortly after Festival’s inception in 2008. Around 20,000 additional City Centre visitors are anticipated over the two days.