Best of Lawrence 2012: Best Event

Mike Mena, left, and Mike Hughes of the Pogo Dudes perform back flips off of pogo sticks as a large crowd watches during the annual Buskerfest held in downtown Lawrence, Friday, August 24, 2012. The performances continue tomorrow.

Lawrence Busker Festival

lawrencebuskerfest.com

Fire eaters! Sword swallowers! A woman who can rip a phone book in half!

Just a typical night at Lawrence’s annual Busker Festival, which draws dozens of off-the-wall acts for a weekend of curious and jaw-dropping performances.

Having just finished its fifth year, BuskerFest is quickly turning into the city’s most beloved annual event, attracting thousands of people to downtown Lawrence and turning it into a circus.

With a wide range of performers, BuskerFest has proven to be an event people from all walks of life can enjoy. Next year, be sure to find the pogo dudes, whose gravity-defying tricks wowed folks this year, and contortionist Jonathan Burns, who pushed his body through a tennis racket.

Runners up

l Lawrence Farmers’ Market

l Art in the Park