FESTIVE TUNE: Ballarat City Councillor Cheryl Bromfield with bagpipers Griffyn and Aram Haroutunian who are spreading the Christmas cheer by busking in the city. Picture: Lachlan Bence
WHEN you are out doing your Christmas shopping, don't forget to drop a coin for the buskers doing their bit to spread some festive cheer in Ballarat.Young bagpiping brothers Aram and Griffyn Haroutunian are among 20 musicians who will take part in 50 performances between now and Christmas Eve.The boys are members of the University of Ballarat Pipe Band and yesterday they played some of their tunes outside Myer.With the coins piling up, Aram, 15, said it was the first year they had busked on the city's streets."This allows us to play to get the spirit out, and then we put the case down," he said.Ballarat City Council recently invited the city's musicians to perform around Ballarat, giving them a busking permit over the Christmas period.Buskers participating in council's program can win Christmas spending money, with each scheduled busking performance given an entry into the $500 cash draw.Ballarat destination and connections portfolio Councillor Cheryl Bromfield said busking was a fun part of this year's Christmas entertainment and was a great way to involve the community.