Festival of Fools 2021

JULY 30 - AUGUST 1

BURLINGTON

VERMONT

©Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc. 2018 23162

Orderw! no

CustomM or Read ade* y-to-Go .

ALL BUSKING SHOWS ARE

FREE

SHOW SUPPORT BY TIPPING *Custom-Made cakes require 24-hr notice.

Burlington 802.862.9620

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Waterbury 866.258.6877

On behalf of the City, welcome one and all to the Festival of Fools: three days of music, circus arts, and comedy by performers from around the world, right in the heart of Burlington!

After a long and difficult year that included the cancellation of the 2020 Festival of Fools, it will be great to have some good laughs together once again.

I want to thank our hard-working City team and all of our generous event sponsors, who have made sure that Festival of Fools is back and better than ever. Burlington City Arts does an outstanding job coordinating and producing this Festival and so many other exciting summer events in Burlington’s downtown. This programming continues all summer long in our restored City Hall Park and includes the Twilight Concert Series, Splash Dance, All Heart in the Park, Listen Up, Flicks in the Park, and more.

I hope to see you out at the Festival or in the park soon!

Warmly, Miro Weinberger Mayor, City of Burlington

REMIND ME, HOW DOES THE FESTIVAL OF FOOLS WEEKEND WORK?

The Festival of Fools lands on the Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park for three consecutive days of foolish spectacles and spectacular foolery. It’s about time, since we missed last year and everyone is overdue for a good laugh. There are new performances every hour at five different pitches. Many acts are participatory, so raise your hand and jump in the ring! And while just about everything is free, tipping at the end of an act is the standard practice for street performance—show your appreciation!

P: KYLE TANSLEY

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE In the event of inclement weather, performances will be paused and/or canceled. When the weather clears, we will restart our performances outside. In the event of a complete rain-out, we will move select programs into Contois Auditorium and other indoor locations. Please visit vtfools.com, consult our Festival App, or visit our information booths for real-time updates during the festival.

FRIDAY, JULY 30

SATURDAY, JULY 31

SUNDAY, AUGUST 1

12-10 pm BUSKING ON CHURCH STREET & CITY HALL PARK

11 am-10 pm BUSKING ON CHURCH STREET & CITY HALL PARK

10 am | City Hall Park MORNING CLASSIC

12:30 pm | City Hall Park BCA SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: PETE’S POSSE

1 pm | Community Bank Pitch YONATAN GAT & EASTERN MEDICINE

3 pm | Ben & Jerry’s Pitch SCHOOL OF FOOLERY SHOWCASE

1:30 pm | Ben & Jerry’s Pitch NATE WALLACE-GUSAKOV

3 pm | Hendrick’s Pitch / Red Square MUSIC BEGINS!

3 pm | Community Bank Pitch BLOODSHOT BILL

3 pm | AARP Pitch SABOUYOUMA

3 pm | Hendrick’s Pitch / Red Square MUSIC BEGINS!

5:30 pm | City Hall Park THE HOKUM BROTHERS BAND

3 pm | AARP Pitch JIMBO MATHUS 4 pm | City Hall Park SPLASH DANCE: BEATS 4 FREAKS 4 pm | Hendrick’s Pitch / Red Square MUSIC BEGINS! 4:30 pm | Community Bank Pitch THEE SACRED SOULS 5:30 pm | City Hall Park FESTIVAL KICK OFF PARTY 6 pm | Queen City Brewery Pitch BLIND BOY PAXTON

4 pm | AARP Pitch YONATAN GAT & EASTERN MEDICINE

6 pm | City Hall Park THE LAST LAUGH VARIETY SHOW

5 pm | Community Bank Pitch TUBA SKINNY 6-9 pm | Ben & Jerry’s Pitch STARLIGHT LOUNGE 7-9 pm | City Hall Park THE WET ONES! BLOODSHOT BILL

7-10 pm | City Hall Park A LUNAR EVENING: DJ DISCO PHANTOM & THEE SACRED SOULS

7 -9 pm | Queen City Brewery Pitch TUBA SKINNY

7 pm | Nectar’s FOOLS AFTER PARTY

BUSKING SCHEDULES are

8 pm | Queen City Brewery Pitch JIMBO MATHUS

11 am-5:45 pm BUSKING ON CHURCH STREET & CITY HALL PARK

ALL PERFORMANCS AND ACTIVITES ARE

FREE UNLESS

OTHERWISE NOTED

Busking shows begin ON THE HOUR at: Queen City Brewery, Community Bank, and AARP Pitches

announced the week of the Festival. Check our chalk board in front of BCA, visit an info booth, or download our app to find out the busking specific schedule.

AND ON THE HALF-HOUR at the Ben & Jerry’s Pitch and in City Hall Park

RESTROOMS

BEN & JERRY’S PITCH

AARP PITCH

COMMUNITY BANK PITCH

QUEEN CITY BREWERY PITCH

HENDRICK’S PITCH (RED SQUARE) CITY HALL PARK

FESTIVAL OF FOOLS STAFF

BURLINGTON CITY ARTS STAFF

Festival Director: Zach Williamson Artistic Director & Co-Founder: Woody Keppel Music Programming: Signal Kitchen Operations Manager: Regina Riccitelli Company Manager: Tim Furst Operations Lead: Kyla Waldron Operations Team: Madeline Bell Street Designer: Carl Talent Catering: Tree Top Kitchen Security: Chocolate Thunder Security Services Lighting: Satellite Productions

Executive Director: Doreen Kraft Assistant Director: Sara Katz Communications Director: John Flanagan Design Director: Ted Olson Content Coordinator: Elena Rosen Festival & Event Director: Zach Williamson Development Director: Joyce Cellars Development Coordinator: Meara McGinniss

SPLASH DANCE: BEATS 4 FREAKS

FESTIVAL KICK OFF

Friday, July 30, 4 pm, City Hall Park

Friday, July 30, 5:30 pm, City Hall Park

Splash Dance has become the fan favorite in City Hall Park, where BCA has featured DJs every Friday throughout the summer. This week features a special Fools edition, with Molly Mood and Phinn playing their favorite Beats 4 Freaks. We are pleased to work with the Friends of A-Dog Foundation on artist programming in July and August.

Come one, come all to the start of the ball! Join us as we celebrate the return of the Festival of Fools, with our presenting sponsor, Community Bank N.A, raffling off amazing prizes. Meanwhile, Woodhead and Enoch will show us their command of the splash pad in a Fools-commissioned skit.

A LUNAR EVENING

THE STARLIGHT LOUNGE

Friday, July 30, 7 pm, City Hall Park

Saturday, July 31, 6-9 pm, Ben & Jerry’s Pitch

Moon bathing is all the rage, and you don’t even need sunscreen. Head to City Hall Park for this enchanted evening with the dulcet tones of Thee Sacred Souls. We are thrilled to bring this Daptone Records band to the park for a free show. We’ll get things started with DJ Disco Phantom and enjoy fine lunar drinks from Hendrick’s Gin and Radio Bean. The out-of-this-world site design is

by Lee Anderson and Satellite Productions.

Pull up a chair on the top block of Church Street and catch these special one-off shows from local performers. Featuring Pony Death Ride Musical, Natalie and Nicole and their aerial rig, Burlington’s famous Phinn, and others, this Fools special will be sure to mesmerize and astound.

SPECIAL

SURF ROCK(ABILLY) BLOODSHOT BILL & THE WET ONES!

MORNING CLASSIC Sunday, August 1, 10 am, City Hall Park

Saturday, July 31, 7-9 pm, City Hall Park The one and only “Montreal Madman,” Bloodshot Bill, heads south to shake, rattle, roll, and then some on our City Hall Park stage. Local surf weirdos The Wet Ones! follow in hot pursuit with their reverb tanks and Fender amps cranked way past 11. It’s going to get wet and wild out there.

EVENTS

THE LAST LAUGH VARIETY SHOW

Rise and shine with a cleansing hour of classical music. After two days of nonstop Foolery, some sensible listening is most certainly called for.

We’re pleased to be working with Vermont Symphony Orchestra players John Dunlop and Sofia Hirsch to bring this string quintet to the park for the Sunday Morning Classic. The coffee’s on us.

SHOW THE LOVE

THE FESTIVAL OF FOOLS HAS COME TO THRIVE ON THE CHURCH STREET MARKETPLACE FOR 14 YEARS.

Sunday, August 1, 6 pm Nothing lasts, but at least we have the Last Laugh Variety Show to close out the fun. We’ll reflect on the weekend that was by presenting brief performances from every street performer in the Festival. Never rehearsed but always entertaining, this variety show features shenanigans from everyone including Pogo Fred and Sharon Mahoney. For the first time in the Festival’s history, we’ll stage the show in the ‘center ring’ of City Hall Park.

Without the shops and businesses on Church Street, this festival would fall flat. While you’re on the street, stop into a store, make a purchase, get something to eat, stop into another store, and make even more purchases.

And then do it again the next day.

ALAKAZAM Al and his tennis racquet are back! Most remembered as the guy who can fit his body through just about anything, Al has been a supporter of this festival since the beginning, and we’re happy to have him back.

Al is a circus and comedy entertainer with 24 years of experience in 38 countries and with 22 street performing awards. Originally hailing from Syndey, Australia, Al is internationally acclaimed and deeply respected on the street and festival busking circuit.

PERFORMERS BLIND BOY PAXTON Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton is an American musician from Los Angeles. A vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Paxton’s style draws from blues and jazz music before World War II and is influenced by the likes of Fats Waller and “Blind” Lemon Jefferson. Don’t miss him, and we ain’t foolin’.

ALL BUSKING SHOWS ARE FREE. SHOW SUPPORT BY TIPPING. MORE PERFORMER INFORMATION AND VIDEOS AT VTFOOLS.ORG

BLOODSHOT BILL

One-man rockabilly locomotive Bloodshot Bill pushes his pomade-lathered catalog of songs through a voice like a cement mixer falling into the Grand Canyon and guitar virtuosity on par with the earliest progenitors of whatever genre he suddenly swerves into. The “Montreal Madman” was the winner of the “Rockabilly Male of the Year” Ameripolitan award and was rated in the top eight of “Rockin” guitarists by Vintage Rock magazine. Cult film legend John Waters described Bloodshot Bill endearingly as “Roy Orbison with a head injury.”

THE

FARMER’S DAUGHTER The Farmer’s Daughter Show harvests bales of belly laughter and truckloads of fun. Farm-tastic gymnastics, rowdy rope tricking, and the only milk bottle walk in the world combine for an udderly amazing show filled with corny humor and acres of amazement. Molly Keczan represented Canada as a competitive rhythmic gymnast and is a part of the Cirque Du Soleil talent pool.

She is co-director of Equilibrium Circus and was recently named one of the top-10 under 40 by the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions. She’s new to Fools, but somehow we think she’ll fit right in. Yee haw!

GROOVY GUY Guy Collins–aka The Groovy Guy–started his busking career as a teenager on the streets of Paris, juggling three balls with a bunch of hippies. He soon became a juggling and circus fanatic, attending as many juggling festivals as possible while enrolling in circus school in Bristol, UK. He’s now a regular at the Covent Garden Market in London, Faneuil Hall in Boston, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. With a resume like that, he’s perfect for Festival of Fools. We can’t wait to see his debut!

JIMBO MATHUS Jimbo Mathus has blazed a singular path as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, and shaman for 40 years. Founder of New Orleans swing band Squirrel Nut Zippers, he has recorded and released more than 300 songs.

His body of work is a testament to his hoodoo craftsmanship and to the sounds, sights, and spirits of his inspirations in the Deep South. His latest album, Incinerator, is an incendiary reflection of his world in music.

O

J HN HIGBY THE YO-YO GUY

John Higby the Yo-Yo Guy last wowed Church Street audiences in 2018, and we couldn’t be happier to have him back. John has performed his unique, high-energy, and hilarious yo-yo show in 26 countries, from New Zealand to Japan. He holds the world yo-yo champion title and FOUR Guinness World Records! John has also been featured on The Gong Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and recently hosted the Melbourne Comedy Festival, in Australia. Don’t miss him!

SHARON MAHONEY Meet Sharon from Canada, your typical Canadian: polite, patriotic, politically correct, and extremely passive aggressive! With a little “help” from the audience, Sharon transforms into her more direct and domineering counterpart, Miss Talulah, who shows just what being a libertine is all about. Sharon is an award-winning comedian, actress, and street performer who has traveled the globe for nearly 20 years, performing at world-class festivals and comedy clubs. We’re pleased she’s adding Festival of Fools to her list!

ALL BUSKING SHOWS ARE FREE. SHOW SUPPORT BY TIPPING. MORE PERFORMER INFORMATION AND VIDEOS AT VTFOOLS.ORG

HER MAJESTY’S

SECRET CIRCUS Look out Fools! Agents Honeymoon and Butterfly are on a mission: to save the planet from boredom, one show at a time. This dynamic duo shoots a bow and plunger-arrow high into the sky and catches it on a tiny target, all while riding a giant stealth cycle and wearing ridiculous action suits. We are thrilled to bring this Secret Circus back to Church Street for another Festival of Fools. Featuring an amazing fire-juggling act, audience sleeper agents, and all the spy thriller references you can think of, Her Majesty’s Secret Circus is a funny, spectacular, must-see show!

MODERN TIMES THEATER

Let Modern Times Theater take you back to a less-than-modern time with two City Hall Park shows of puppetry, vaudeville, music, and comedy. Rose and Justin break down the rules of theater to present an unconventional and unexpected show that’s a joy to watch for the whole family. Oh the irony!

ALL BUSKING SHOWS ARE FREE. SHOW SUPPORT BY TIPPING. MORE PERFORMER INFORMATION AND VIDEOS AT VTFOOLS.ORG

N I M BLE ARTS Nimble Arts scales the skies above City Hall Park with an aerial performance rig and mesmerizing moves like you’ve never seen.

Though hailing from Vermont, this year marks Nimble’s first Fools performance! Nimble Arts was founded by identical twin aerialists Elsie Smith and Serenity Smith Forchion to create inventive works of theatrical circus. Their own performing resumes include duo swinging trapeze with Cirque du Soleil, aerials and acrobatics with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey, and guest performance at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival! We are lucky to have them!

POGO FRED Get ready for the amazing Pogo Fred, bouncing off the bricks with the highest of high-flying pogo tricks. Fred holds multiple Guinness World Records for his extreme pogo stunts and is regarded as one of the best jumpers on the planet. Check out his incredible tricks and flips as he jumps 10 feet in the air on his 10-foot-tall pogo stick! As a veteran and founder of the sport, Fred has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, America’s Got Talent, and a renowned Nike commercial that aired during the 2012 Olympics. Just look up and you’ll see him

Funded in part by the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

SABOUYOUMA Sabouyouma (pronounced sah-boo-yoo-MAH), is led by Ousmane Camara, a master Balafonist from Guinea, West Africa. Based in Burlington, they combine traditional West African dance music with contemporary funk and reggae. The band has quickly become one of Vermont’s best bands for letting loose and dancing like nobody’s watching. Get groovin!

THEE SACRED SOULS Daptone fans, rejoice. With Smokey-esque lyrics and Marvin-ous melodies floating over soulful rhythms, Thee Sacred Souls are a three-piece band from San Diego who have already gained serious traction in their young career. Stepping off the stage after their very first club date, in 2019, Josh, Sal, and Alex were tugged aside by producer Bosco Mann, whose seasoned ears had been piqued. Backs were patted, hands were shaken, and three days later, heads were bobbing in Mann’s Riverside studio as the Souls laid their first notes to tape. We’re thrilled to welcome these left coasters to Vermont.

ALL BUSKING SHOWS ARE FREE. SHOW SUPPORT BY TIPPING. MORE PERFORMER INFORMATION AND VIDEOS AT VTFOOLS.ORG

TIC & TAC We’re happy to make it two in a row with Tic & Tac! Back after a great performance in 2019, Tic & Tac Entertainment is a New York-based acrobatic and breakdance company that combines athleticism, theater, and comedy on the street. Amazing antics and acrobatic dance skills will entertain the whole family. Their routine includes hilarious jokes and hot moves!

Tyheem & Kareem Barnes (i.e. Tic & Tac) have toured the country working with or for the N.Y Yankees, NBA, Harlem Globetrotters, Alicia Keys, Michael Jackson, and Michael Buble. They were also featured on season 9 of America’s Got Talent. And now they’re back, along with Peter Rabbit and their fellow dancers, to wow the Burlington crowd!

TUBA SKINNY

Formed in 2009, Tuba Skinny has steadily evolved from a loose collection of street musicians into a solid ensemble dedicated to bringing the traditional New Orleans sound to audiences around the world. Drawing on a wide range of musical influences—from spirituals to Depression-era blues, from ragtime to traditional jazz—their sound evokes the rich musical heritage of their New Orleans home.

The band has gained a loyal following through their distinctive sound, their commitment to reviving long-lost songs, and their barnstorming live performances.

YONATAN GAT & THE EASTERN MEDICINE SINGERS Yonatan Gat and the Eastern Medicine Singers is a growing multicultural collaboration between the acclaimed guitarist and the revered Algonquin language eastern styled drum group, after a chance encounter at a music festival in Texas. Gat came to the spotlight 15 years ago in the nexus of experimental music and performance art as a founder of Monotonix, which SPIN hailed as “the most exciting live band in rock’n’roll” and on his critically acclaimed solo LPs, the second of which, Universalists, welcomed the hypnotic drumming and chants of the Eastern Medicine Singers, a collaboration that would become a fan-favorite, with a full-length debut album expected in 2022.

THE WET ONES! The Wet Ones! are a Vermont-based power trio performing original surf music at blistering volumes and speed comprised of lifelong acolytes of the traditional surf sound and longtime regulars of the Burlington music scene, the group formed in 2018 and recorded their first reverb-doused record, Tombstoning, in 2019. Their latest record, The Monster of Jungle Island, provides the thunderous soundtrack to a short B-horror movie of the same title, which the band filmed on Vermont’s Burton Island for a budget of $0. The band is presently composing their next opus.

135 CHURCH STREET HOURS: WED-FRI: 12-5 PM, SAT: 12-8 PM

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