Story of the Festival by Charles Shapiro

One hundred and forty-five jugglers and twenty-two yo-yo players attended the thirtieth annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival, held at the Yaarab Shrine Temple on Ponce de Leon Avenue in downtown Atlanta . The weather was mild and sunny as jugglers from across the country congregated to throw things, spin things, and gossip for two and a half days of learning, play, teaching, and competition.

Notable new group passing patterns starting to emerge this year included the Long Skinny Feast, various feast and famine variants, and multiple variants on two-handed feeds. There seemed to be slightly fewer complex asymmetrical multi-part patterns this year. Also notable was an actual game of combat which broke out late Saturday afternoon in the middle of the gym floor. Many individual jugglers worked on various trap-catches with clubs, as well as a variety of individual numbers and variant props.

Three prop vendors sold at the festival this year, as well as an assortment of other folks hawking portraits, massages, tickets and charities. The on-site food vendors made it easy to catch a meal as needed without having to leave the fun for a restaurant. Photos and a notable scrapbook covering the last 30 years of Atlanta Jugglers Association history were also on display.

The Yo-Yo competition Saturday morning featured 24 contestants doing both compulsory and free-style yo-yo tricks. Georgia 's Adam Brewster finished third in what was described as "a very competitive field". Samm Scott of Virginia took first. The freestyle yo-yoing in the contest involved a lot of tricky string manipulation as well as long throws.

Eight acts competed in the public show Saturday afternoon, introduced by the always powerful Seed and Feed Marching Abominables.  The band was broomed by our own Bruce Plott, garbed in the famous "Dammit Bruce" red T-shirt. A surprise visit from IJA champions Team Rootberry also livened up the show with some sword-swallowing and juggling of table-saw blades with handles. Atlanta 's own Keith McNeil led off the competition with a number of Grown-Up tricks, including juggling four balls and one club in a 5-ball pattern. A tiny blond baton-twirler named Ashley Ellis walked off with the "Most Staggering" award for an act which included a three-baton juggle, some club work, and a fine costume and haircut. David Ferman took "Most Inconceivable" for his performance with 5 and 7 balls, and Kenny Toombs won "Most Astonishing" for a versatile act which included some difficult 3-club tricks and advanced contact juggling done with up to six acrylic balls.

Mike Gardiner smoothly emceed the Midnight Cabaret, which featured six acts. It opened with Mike's short bit on playing the piano, then made a strong start with champion yo-yoist Katelyn Anton, whose aerial stylings with one and two yo-yos are more stage-friendly than average. New groundhog winner Kenny Toombs followed with some of his path-breaking contact juggling, then our own Rick Purtee demonstrated some diabolo moves. Rich Steenblik next played three haunting and beautiful melodies on a Swiss Hang, an ovoid steel drum played with the hands. John Nations closed the show with some new material including a new ball routine.

Sunday started late but went smoothly with lots of juggling, passing, and the usual huggin' and cryin' as people left the festival. The post-Groundhog Day dinner was a combination 50th birthday party at Panahar Restaurant attended by most of the Atlanta Jugglers Association as well as a contingent of fencers, jugglers, and computer people. Things broke up late Sunday night as the last of us staggered off into the night to sleep it off in our hovels.

--Charles Shapiro