A little history. In 1874 John Sydney Morton wrote in his journal;
"After Tea, Grace came over to say the harpers were down at the west corner so we went down to see them. There was four in all, one man played the harp, another the flute, the other two played the fiddle, and the people gave them cents."
As it turns out, this is one of the few references to street entertainers in the history of Halifax. Busking is not an ancient tradition among Haligonians nor would it be if audiences still only gave cents! The folded bill is now the order of the day!