City ordinance preventing magician from performing on Lower Broadway

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A local street performer said a city ordinance is preventing him from doing magic in the heart of Nashville.

It’s a concern Councilman Jacob Kupin said has been on his radar for some time.

Shane who goes by his stage name, Sideshow Shane, has been performing magic for 17 years. A year ago, he moved to Nashville.

“I moved up here because it’s rich in entertainment. When you think of Nashville, Tennessee what do you think of?”  Shane said.

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While live music may be the first thing you think of, he said he would like to incorporate all forms of art in Music City. “Where can you go to see a magician on the street? See a juggler? See somebody swallowing knives?” Shane said.

When he first moved here, he started doing magic on Lower Broadway until he started receiving citations for going against a city ordinance. According to the ordinance , it is unlawful for ‘any person to obstruct any public right of way.’ It’s a rule that applies to Shane who performs with a deck of cards and small folding table on the streets of Broadway.

“What I do is considered to be encroaching on pedestrians’ right of way and creating an unsafe passageway causing pedestrians not to be able to walk safely while I perform with a two-by-two table,” Shane said.

The streets of Lower Broadway are narrow and are often packed on the weekends with pedestrians. Despite this, Shane said he was told that he could perform on Upper Broadway.

“Hey want to see some magic? Boom there it is. You get more no’s than yes over here. Over there everyone is like yes let’s go see something cool,” Shane said.

It’s a concern he would like to bring awareness to and hopes to not only draw in more art but also make downtown a more family-friendly atmosphere.

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“I get more families asking me where can I take my kids? Opry? I don’t know man everything here is 21 and up,” Shane said.

Councilman Kupin said he has been working to find a place for street performers downtown but given that the streets are so narrow and packed with pedestrians it’s been a challenge.

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