‘A slow build’: Street Performers Festival wraps up to pre-COVID attendance levels

The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival wrapped up on July 12, 2026. (Curtis Goodrum/CTV News Edmonton)

Sunday marked the final day of the 2026 Edmonton International Street Performers Festival.

“It’s honestly been wonderful,” said Liz Hobbs, the festival’s theatre director. “With the exception of the deluge on Friday night … we’ve otherwise had a really beautiful, lovely festival this year.”

The 10-day festival brought 38 performers from eight countries, including 10 making their Edmonton debut.

Performances ranged from circus, comedy, music and magic and included family-friendly entertainment.

Hobbs said this year’s festival saw the best attendance numbers since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a slow build. All of downtown has been struggling since COVID,” said Hobbs. “But last year was way better than it had been, and this year is even better that last year, so I feel like we’re moving in the right direction towards restoring a vibrancy to downtown that is really exciting to see.”

The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival was founded in 1985 and has called Churchill Square home ever since.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Curtis Goodrum