breath away when we least expect it to . It can melt whatever was weighing us down as we stomped through our commute , and remember to us that little truth that remakes the day : “ I ’ m human and I feel things , and I belong .”
The rest of the weekend is farmers ’ markets , family-inclusive games and activities , local fare from local restaurants and shops , and main stage performances in the heart of downtown .
“ It just brings the community together ,” says Taylor Villwock , marketing and events manager for downtown events in Ellensburg . “ There ’ s something about live music …” Especially after the loss of events during the pandemic , there seems to be a bated breath for happenings like Buskers in the Burg to revive . Though the Ellensburg Downtown Association makes sure that participating artists are paid a modest guaranteed stipend , parade goers and community members tip liberally on top of that . “ Too many communities want too many artists for free ,” says Carolyn . “ When you do things right , it will come back to you .” Ellensburg residents have embraced the street performers , the vendors , and the parade , and Carolyn Honeycutt believes it ’ s in part due to the visible partnership between the artists , the nonprofits , and the community itself . Every year there is a theme ( in 2019 the theme was “ Air ”), but even if there weren ’ t , each year Ellensburg — an agriculture-centric town in the middle of
Washington State — is lovingly , zanily reflected back to itself through the creative expressions of the artists . Reminding us yet again that we ’ re human , we ’ re wild and ever more precious .
For more information on the busking laws and regulations near you , please visit the Public Space and Street / Sidewalk Use pages of your town website , and / or the busker programs on local parks and recreation pages . If you are considering busking in public , please be considerate of the local vendors and ask if it ’ s all right to perform near them . Place your tip receptacle about the same distance from your body as your head is from the ground . Keep your wits about you both for entertainment as well as awareness purposes . Be thankful for any gratuities even if they ’ re not money ( value is shockingly relative ). Be pleasantly surprised at the power of eye contact . Smile for free .
Carolyn ’ s husband , Lee , passed away in 2019 , and a specially designed bench was made for him that sits on the corner of 5th and Main Street right outside the Elks ’ Building . The French writer and humanist François Rabelais is quoted there , and I will mysteriously leave you to wonder what words he said that Lee Honeycutt so gleefully lived by — and hopefully you ’ ll wonder so much that you ’ ll go visit it , say a little thank you to Lee , and enjoy his family ’ s incredible legacy the last weekend of September .
Olivia Brownlee creates , arranges , records , and performs with swing , rockabilly , folk , and other musical groups in the Pacific Northwest
( and more ). If you think she should know about a representative Performing Art near you in the PNW , please write to olivia @ artchowder . com .