Setting up a street performers competition at a mid size festival...?

[dave walbridge]

How would you set up a 'street performers' competition? It would be part of a larger event, so I'm wondering if there is an easy way for say 9-12 acts to compete ...Have people vote/ judges vote, etc. Timing, etc.

Any and all ideas welcome

D

[Isabella]

Based on competitions in the past -

Do a Judges Choice with 3 local dignitaries who see one of each show and choose their favorite, and an Audience Choice based on voting.

Audience Choice ballots can also be raffle entries to encourage participation.

If acts are showcased and chosen by applause, the act that goes last (or milks the audience the most) will win.

[gav]

Let me start by saying I and many other performers I know do not like competitions, but at times it's hard to avoid them.
The best one I've taken part in was a peoples choice vote only, and to make it even better, the performers had no idea it was going on !
It wasn't until I was hosting the group show that an organiser informed me that I had gotten second place and had to announce the winner. We both got an award and a basket full of German goodies.

The worst one I took part in, I actually won. The audience was supposed to buy little plastic coins to give to performers and at the end of the fest, the performer with the most plastic coins wins. Trouble was it was a busking festival and we didn't end up getting much real money in the hat's, people would just give the plastic coins.

I hate it when performers go over the top soliciting votes from an audience.
It might be good to have the acts judge each other. Who could be better judges of street performers than street performers themselves.