At the Gorge Canada Day Buskers Corner, the best performances are random.

Rob Wickson recalls seeing two long-haired men wander by who looked like B次元官网网址渃arbon copies of the Allman Brothers.B次元官网网址�

It turned out they played bass and drums. They later helped create a five-part harmony in a rendition of the Doobie BrothersB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淏lack Water.B次元官网网址� Listeners gathered nearby stood and cheered.

Another year, two guitarists who had never met one another played a 15-minute jam session.

B次元官网网址淧eopleB次元官网网址檚 mouths were open, they couldnB次元官网网址檛 believe it,B次元官网网址� Wickson says.

He has organized Buskers Corner, near the Tillicum Road intersection of Gorge Road, for seven years. He provides instruments, amps and speakers under a tent. Instead of lining up musicians to play for money, he sets up the equipment, starts playing something familiar and lets people come to him.

B次元官网网址淚 let it unfold, I donB次元官网网址檛 plan it.B次元官网网址� He usually isnB次元官网网址檛 playing alone for very long and manages to fill the stage with around 20 performers every year.

Wickson isnB次元官网网址檛 a full-time musician. HeB次元官网网址檚 a local economist and president of the Gorge Tillicum Community Association, which puts on the annual Gorge Canada Day Picnic.

The event already features professional musicians, he says, including local Beatles cover band, The Sutcliffes.

He offers Buskers Corner to B次元官网网址渇olks who are artists in garagesB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� people like him who donB次元官网网址檛 get many opportunities to perform.

B次元官网网址淭his gives me a chance to come out of my basement and play once in awhile.B次元官网网址�

While Buskers Corner isnB次元官网网址檛 a fundraiser, Wickson wants to start collecting donations to build a gazebo at the Gorge Canoe and Kayak Club, which runs between $2,000 and $3,000.

Such a venue could act as a performance space and would be an attractive addition to the park.

The stage is open from noon to 4 p.m., and all kinds of music is welcome, as long as itB次元官网网址檚 appropriate for a family picnic and not too loud.

For more information, visit .

intern@vicnews.com

On the Gorge

Event: The 13th annual Gorge Canada Day Picnic

Where: Along the Gorge Waterway from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WhatB次元官网网址檚 happening: Live music all day B次元官网网址� including Buskers Corner on Gorge Road and on stage near Craigflower historic schoolhouse B次元官网网址� pancake breakfast, Canada Day market, canoe rides, family parade, kidsB次元官网网址� activities and a classic car show.

Parking: Available at Esquimalt Gorge Park, just off Tillicum Road. The No. 11 bus also runs regularly down Gorge Road.