A Pearl of a Performance

Two Fridays ago I went downtown to see the artwork of John Lennon at a gallery show on the corner of 9th and Pearl St. Afterwards, I walked down the pedestrian mall taking in the crisp fall air and the changing leaves falling onto the bricks. It wasn't more than a minute before Iran into a magician from Las Vegas standing behind a velvet table and using fancy words to talk about coins from Russia. Intrigued, I made my way to his table where he was quick to pull a coin from behind my ear. "Magic," I said in genuine amazement as an older man to my left who couldn't contain his excitement begged for "another trick already!" Soon there were twenty people, friends and strangers, gathered around the little table. We had all forgotten about where we were going, why were there and who knew knew who as we became enraptured in the magic of being a kid again.

Since that night I've often caught myself day-dreaming about the street performers who gave Pearl Street its flair during my childhood in Boulder. There was Bongo the Balloon Man and his airy crowns fit for Boulder Princesses. I remember celebrating the zip-code man's admittance into the Guinness Book of World Records when he identified the most number of zip-codes at random, proud to have participated in a few of his practices for the big feat. But no matter what the act or artist, the street performances on Pearl Street are always an engaging experience to be remembered. In an instant, a day of good-eats and shopping becomes an interactive event in which Boulder becomes more than just a place as it brings together a community.

Posted By Sarah Haas

Boulder Bookstore Marketing Intern