Hire a Covent Garden street performer
The Covent Garden Street Performers Association books live acts for events in London, across the UK and worldwide. We are the official non-profit association for the performers who work the Piazza, and have been for over 30 years, so when you book through us you are booking the acts themselves directly, with no agency in between.
Every performer we represent works the pitches in Covent Garden itself. The association covers over 30 regular acts: magicians, jugglers, acrobats, escapologists, comedy circus acts, stilt walkers and live musicians.
We supply entertainment for weddings, birthday parties, corporate away days, product launches, festivals, summer fetes, school events and Christmas parties, and our acts travel internationally for events overseas.
Every act is experienced at holding a large crowd without a stage, which suits venues, gardens, marquees and indoor spaces alike.
Tell us the date, the location and the size of the crowd and we will suggest the acts that fit.
How to hire a Covent Garden street performer
Send us the date, the location and roughly how many people will be there. We come back with the acts that suit the space and the crowd, and a showreel for each one, so you can watch them working before you decide anything.
There is no shortlist fee and no obligation. Once you have chosen, you deal with that performer directly for timings, arrival and anything the venue needs to know. Most events are confirmed by email within a couple of days.
Book as far ahead as you can for summer weekends and for December, because those dates fill first. Short notice is often still possible, so it is always worth asking.
What you can book
Comedy circus and stunt shows. The big crowd-pullers, built around juggling, balance, fire, escapology and audience participation. Best outdoors, or indoors somewhere with height.
Close-up magic. Card and coin work performed table to table or in a standing crowd. Suits drinks receptions, dinners and anywhere guests are milling about.
Juggling and acrobatics. Double acts and solo performers, from strolling entertainment through to a full staged show.
Live music. Solo singers, guitarists and small acoustic groups, the sound you hear in the Market.
Stilt walkers and walkabout characters. Visible right across a crowd, good for arrivals, processions and street parties.
We can also put together a mixed bill, where several acts cover different parts of a day.
Where our performers work in Covent Garden
You can watch most of our acts in the Piazza before you book anything. Comedy and circus shows run underneath the portico at the rear of St Paul's Church on the West Piazza. Musicians play inside Covent Garden Market in the North Hall. Magicians work the corner of James Street.
Performers are scheduled by the association rather than by the venue, and the line-up changes through the day. If you want to see a particular act before booking, say so and we will tell you when they are next on.
What it costs to hire a street performer
We do not publish a price list, because the cost depends on the event rather than on the act. What changes it most:
How long you need the performer, and whether that is one set or several spread through the day.
How far they are travelling, and whether the event runs late enough to need accommodation.
Whether you want walkabout entertainment or a full show with equipment and a rigged space.
How many acts you want, and whether they overlap or follow one another.
Send the date, the location, the timings and a rough headcount and we will come back with a clear figure for the acts that fit. Nothing is taken until you have accepted a quote.
Why book through the association
Most sites offering Covent Garden performers are agencies. They hold a list of acts, take an enquiry, and pass it on with a margin added. Some of the acts on those lists do work here. Many do not.
When you book through us the fee goes to the performer, and you speak to the person who will be at your event rather than to a salesperson.
It also means we can be honest with you. If we do not have the right act for your event, we will say so, rather than sending whoever is available.
Questions we are asked most
How far ahead should I book? Summer weekends and December fill first, so several months is sensible for those. The rest of the year a few weeks is usually enough, and we can often help at short notice.
Can I see the act before I book? Yes, and we would encourage it. Most of our performers work the Piazza regularly, so you can see a full show in person. Tell us who you are interested in and we will let you know when they are next on. Every act also has a showreel.
Do you travel outside London? Regularly, across the UK and overseas. Travel and accommodation are quoted up front so there are no surprises.
How much space does an act need? A close-up magician needs none at all. A comedy circus show wants a clear area roughly the size of a large living room, and enough height for juggling clubs. Tell us the venue and we will tell you what fits.
What happens if it rains? For outdoor bookings we agree a wet-weather plan when you book, whether that is moving indoors, shifting the timings, or swapping to an act that works under cover.
Is the performance suitable for children? Most of our acts are family shows built for a Covent Garden crowd, which is about as mixed an audience as there is. If you need something specifically for adults, or specifically for young children, say so and we will match it.