Getting A Date

 Begin planning at least 6-12 months in advance of the anticipated event date, so that you have time to do all of the tasks associated with putting on a kickass fest. Choosing a date is a complex process, and I recommend using a ouija board, magic eight-ball, and talking to lots of people about when they think you should have it. If everyone has a great time, you will want to do it again - a good date is like that! If that happens, try to keep it, to facilitate scheduling in years to come. Remember that "facilitate" is a good word to use when talking to people in suits.

 

Don't schedule your event to conflict with other fests (oops!), but do schedule it in conjunction with some other fun local thing that jugglers might especially appreciate (a circus, a blink show, a local festival, a city of 24 hr. gaming, drinking, bowling and buffets).

 

If your regional fest hopes to attract peo­ple from afar, you might want to consider extending the festivities before or after the actual weekend. It is becoming standard to start the weekend on Friday, making most festivals which are more than one-day picnics into major three-day events, and there are often people without real jobs (pronounced "jugglers") who can hang about even longer, as long as there are fun things to do and people to do them with.

 

Do be aware that local events (sporting events, conventions, etc.) may affect the availability of hotel rooms, restaurant seating, etc. Also be aware of highway construction projects on the way into town, closed roads, whatever, and plan accordingly when you hear about a festival, and include the answers in your promotional material. Promo and announcements should include directions, a pointer to a map, a schedule of events (dates and times), special attractions, event prices, housing options, suggested carpark locations, and public transport info. Provide a hotline contact names and numbers (and email addresses!) for questions, and when people call, get back to them ASAP.

 

The only reason people read anything is for information or entertainment. Managing both simultaneously is a good trick, and the juggling community likes good tricks. If you want people to read something (be it promo, a letter of solicitation to vendors, a waiver participants must sign, or an article on fest preparation), reward their efforts  by making it somewhat entertaining.

 

Did you hear the one about the bicycle and the unicycle? The bicycle didn't wanna do it because it was too tired! hahahahaha. Get it? Two-tired? Now that's entertainment. As I was saying...

 

The more the merrier. Everyone likes to be at festivals their friends are going to, and word-of-mouth is important, and it is inspired by appealing advance promotion. The more people who plan on attending, more people will end up attending. No one wants to miss out on the social event of the season.

 

It is important to have participants of all skill levels. Beginners are drawn by workshops and lessons, intermediate jugglers are drawn by the opportunity to practice 'round the clock and to talk to accomplished jugglers, and accomplished jugglers are drawn by other accomplished jugglers (often their friends), or the chance to perform, impress, and be worshipped, or, if all else fails, by outright bribery. Having some hi-profile talent at the fest is a good trick if you can manage it, especially if they are friendly, accessible, and willing to break down tricks. And everyone likes to have vendors there.

 

Prop merchants really help to make the event, so try to get some vendors to truck in and set up. In a weirdly complex reciprocal self-perpetuating synergistic dynamical feedback interaction not wholly understood by even the most grant-pampered brainiacs with supercomputers, advanced degrees, and sophisticated graphics packages, the promise of vendors at a fest attracts jugglers, and the promise of jugglers attracts vendors. Although vendors are usually in the business because they just like to hang out at juggling festivals (more oft than not), try to attract enough of a crowd to make it worth a vendor's while. Vendors exist on beer and sales, so be sure and provide them with both.

 

Do you want the general public at your event? I don't, but that is your choice, or it may be a selling point to get you the space you want. I find the public generally annoying because they always ask the same questions over and over again, they take up room in the gym where I could be juggling, and having strangers in the gym increases the probability of theft (what could be sadder than your silicones ending up as some scumbag's dog ball?). If you are having a public show, alert the media and attract the attention of the public. Do you want press coverage? Make arrangements accordingly.

 

Cost? Keep it cheap. Free is better. It is tacky to host a party and make money off of your guests. Our club books gigs to pay for our fest, and we get donations or discounts on materials, equipment and space through the judicious use of wheedling, whining, flattery, blackmail and quid pro quo favor-bank exchange. This is called "public relations", and good relations are important.

 

Cool stuff to have at your fest includes workshops/demos/performances by guest artists, games and competitions (best trick, club gather, obstacle course, simon sez, five ball enduro, three or five egg enduro, egg passing, combat, numbers passing, distance passing, juggling blind, unicycle obstacle course, odd object juggling, tootsie-roll toss n' turn, the list goes on as long as you can think of silly stuff to do), public show, prop­swap, midnight cabaret or anything-goes Renegade stage, a party where people show off little tricks while imbibing.

 

All you really need for a festival is a gym full of jugglers. In a process which isn't wholly understood but is oft observed in nature, many of these games and events will spontaneously break out under such conditions quicker than an adolescent's face the night of the big dance.