In 1989 the Rotary Club of Coffs Harbour City began a small busking festival. In those years it took the form of a competitive style festival with awards for the favourite busker, peoples choice, etc. Many Australian and some overseas acts such as Zip and Zap, Antibodies had their first experience of Coffs Harbour then. The seeds were sown with the local community who really embraced the event, but it quickly became an all-consuming enterprise, rapidly outgrowing the resources of a volunteer organisation. With the loss of major sponsor Buttercup Bakeries in 1992 the event just faded away. It was resurrected by local promotions company JLE in the late 1990's and under the auspices of Coffs Harbour City Council and with the help of local sponsors, the event 'breathed' again in 2000. We acknowledge the support of Coffs Harbour City Council and the work done by Rotary in those early years. From then on the event has grown in a few short years to become the major street theatre festival in regional NSW, and is rapidly on the way to becoming a major Australian festival in its own right. Over this time the festival has built in stature, content, public acceptance, tourist visitation and has attracted increased sponsorship and funding. Each year over 100 applications to participate are received from as far away as Siberia & Uzbechistan. The challenge is now to present an even more exciting event every year.