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(Speech Activities at Northwest Folklife - See below)
Northwest Folklife welcomes spontaneous and unscheduled performances by street performers (buskers). We recognize that those performances have a long history with the festival. Before coming to the Festival as a street performer, please read the guidelines below. At the Festival, Street Performer Coordinators will be on the grounds to work with you. They will give you the rules and answer any questions. If you are interested in being a part of planning and troubleshooting future festivals, let a Street Performer Coordinator know.
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YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A STREET PERFORMER
GENERAL
Choosing a Location:
You may choose a location each morning. Locations cannot be saved from one day to the next. First-come, first-served. Your activities may not interfere with any scheduled performance or programmed activity. You may be asked to move to another location at any time at the discretion of the Street Performer Coordinator. You are not guaranteed the same spot all day.
The following areas are off limits for street performing:
- Covered walkways
- Within 30 feet of a captive audience
- Washrooms or entrances and exits of washrooms
- Entrances and exits from any facility, door, loading dock, elevator or stairway
- Inside of any building
- The Fisher Green programmed area (the entire block)
- In the breezeway between the Alki Room and the Snoqualmie Room
- On the South, East and West sides of the Alki Room
- Handicap access to any location
- Any areas designated by the Street Performer Coordinators as “off limits”
Performer Rotation:
You must be prepared to rotate your space. If another group wishes to play in the same space, both groups must agree to alternate. Each group is allowed to play for up to 45 minutes, with a 30-minute break between sets. The rotation schedule is on the honor system, but a Street Performer Coordinator will intervene if necessary.
Crowd Control:
You are responsible for your own crowd control. Your audience cannot block traffic flow. You may in no way cause public inconvenience or jeopardize safety. If you are performing near a walkway and gather a large crowd, you will be asked to stop and relocate.
Set-Up:
You may not erect any structure, rack, display case or sign that cannot be contained in a conventional musical instrument case.
CD Sales:
If you want to sell your CDs, you must obtain a permit from Northwest Folklife. You can buy the $10 permit from a Street Performer Coordinator. You must also have a City of Seattle Business License or you can purchase a temporary City of Seattle Business License (from a Street Performer Coordinator) for the weekend for $20. This temporary permit is valid for all four days of the festival. A 15% commission will be collected on the total sales for each group.
Storage:
There is no storage for street performers’ equipment on the Seattle Center grounds.
SOUND CONTROL
Loud Instruments:
Locations for loud instruments (e.g.: percussion, brass instruments or bagpipes) are extremely limited. Two suggestions are:
- On the Thomas Street walkway across from the Space Needle entrance
- On the lawn in South of the Exhibition Hall and North of Republican Street
Check-in with a Street Performer Coordinator before setting up.
Sound Levels:
The Street Performer Coordinators will be equipped with decibel meters this year. Street performers are asked to monitor their sound levels to make sure they are not interfering with activities or other performers, including scheduled performances. Street performers must not exceed a decibel meter reading of 90 decibels, with the meter held 10 feet from the performer. All drum kits must be muffled.
Amplification:
No amplification is allowed. This includes, but is not limited to, amplifiers, boom boxes, and microphones.
Northwest Folklife retains the right to relocate or Street Performer at any time.
SAFETY
Unauthorized Activities:
- Fire is not allowed on Northwest Folklife grounds. This includes, but is not limited to: ground fires, juggling and fire dancing.
- Juggling knives, swords, sharp sticks or other objects deemed dangerous are strictly prohibited. All dangerous activity will be stopped. Failure to comply will result in a call to the Seattle Police Department and removal from the grounds.
- Attaching any equipment, fliers or other material to trees, shrubs or other greenery is strictly prohibited.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Speech Activities:
Petitioners and signature gatherers are allowed on the grounds during the festival. They are allowed to hand out flyers and leaflets and collect signatures, as long as they keep moving. No set-up is allowed, including tables, chairs, tents, and other structures. They may not be within 30 feet of any captive audience, building entrance or scheduled event. No person is allowed to interfere with or hinder pedestrian traffic. Distributing flyers or gathering signatures in any area listed above as off-limits for street performing is not allowed.
Disputes:
The Street Performer Coordinators reserve the right to defer to Seattle Center or the Seattle Police Department for settling any dispute.
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