It seems like only yesterday the city of Cambridge rallied together and celebrated Keytar Bear and Abigail Taylor Day, raising several thousand dollars for the anonymous street musician who was attacked while performing around MBTA stations in Boston. Now on the first anniversary of the designated day and successful fund-raiser at the Middle East, Ms. Taylor and Mr. Bear are teaming up once again for the first-ever Street Performer Fest.
The free, all-ages event goes down Friday, May 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Jill Brown Rhone Park in the Area IV neighborhood of Cambridge, and will feature local artists, musicians, and street performers of all kinds.
“I want to create an event to celebrate the awesomeness of Keytar Bear and the other street performers in the Boston area,” Taylor tells Vanyaland. “I like to think of this day as reason to bring people together to support the artists and performers that make us smile every day.”
Taylor says she has remained in contact with Keytar Bear, who after a cruel winter has started appearing more frequently around town as the weather warms. A few months after Cambridge celebrated Keytar Bear and Abigail Taylor Day, the performer was attacked again outside Faneuil Hall. Two people were arrested a few days later.
The Keytar Bear saga earned him and Taylor the Number 1 spot on Boston Magazine’s 20 Reasons We Loved Boston in 2014 year-end recap.
“We have stayed in touch here and there,” Taylor adds. “He has shared ideas with me, and his fears, too, and I’ve done my best to reassure him that he’s on the right path. What’s amazing is how many people contact me on a regular basis to talk about our story. I was talking with a journalist the other day about this very thing and he told me he was at an event just two weeks ago with Keytar Bear. [He] was asked what his favorite thing about Boston is and he said “Two words: Abby Taylor.” Well, that made me feel all the feelings. I nearly broke down right then and there. I think I can safely say the same about him.”
With just over two weeks to go before the Street Performer Fest, Taylor is looking to connect with those who want to perform at the event, as well as up to 10 vendors who would like to provide food and drinks. She’s also open to sponsors to cover permit costs, t-shirt production, and to create a bank to pay the performers.
“All the profits will go directly to the performers,” Taylor assures, “who deserve a little pay back for all the hard work they do to make us smile.”
Contact Abigail Taylor at abby@workbar.com for more information.