 Street entertainment at Covent Garden was noted in Samuel Pepys 's diary in May 1662 , when he recorded the first mention of a Punch and Judy show in Britain . Impromptu performances of song and swimming were given by local celebrity William <unk> in the eighteenth century . Covent Garden is licensed for street entertainment , and performers audition for timetabled slots in a number of venues around the market , including the North Hall , West Piazza , and South Hall Courtyard . The courtyard space is dedicated to classical music only . There are street performances at Covent Garden Market every day of the year , except Christmas Day . Shows run throughout the day and are about 30 minutes in length . In March 2008 , the market owner , CapCo , proposed to reduce street performances to one 30 @-@ minute show each hour . 
