I walk in the joint. Lil is behind the bar doing her nails, with one eye on the TV screen.

 

"Hey Ernie, whatcha doing? Where ya been? I haven't seen ya around for a while," says Lil.

 

"Pittsburgh, Lil, I've been to Pittsburgh. How about a beer?"

 

"Sure Ernie, here. Sit down and tell me all about it."

 

"Sure Lil, sure."

 

(Here's to Harry Lind. . .clink! )

 

"It's like this..."

 

I was drinking a beer at Bouches, in Columbia, Mo., attending the annual meeting of the Secret Jugglers Society, when Zeemo the Magnificent leaned over and said, "Hey Ernie, the IJA is looking for you."

 

A few days later I called Ginny Rose, lJA festival coordinator, and asked what's up. Ginny said, "Pittsburgh, Ernie, the golden anniversary of the IJA. The biggest to-do the IJA has ever put on, and the largest gathering of jugglers ever on the North American continent. We want you to cover it."

 

I figured, "Coo!!"

 

So I loaded up a cooler, packed an attitude and some expectations, and was off to Iron City to look into the birth of the beast, and how she is doing at 50. Assignment, Pittsburgh!

 

I came in a night early. I was staying at the Red Roof Inn with Babes in Shades and some couch jugglers, Rick Prevett and Jim Brennan. The motel was situated across from a 7-11, half a block from Denny's, just down the road from the site, and across the parking lot from Wings Suds and Spuds. A couple of the Babes and I figured it was our duty to scope out the Wings Suds and Spuds (I recommend the suds).

 

The next morning as I approached Robert Morris College my eyes were drawn to a large white form sitting atop a green Allegheny hill, appearing to float on the horizon. It was a tent, with a phony window motif. The effect was inflating. You just knew this was going to be cool. The tent was connected to the arena by a canvas umbilical cord, the main site, home to registration, restrooms, concessions, workshops, the history lounge, the juggling art exhibit, the casual bar, vendors galore, and the floor.

 

The floor is always the spiritual center of the fest, where a great deal of the action occurs. One side of the floor was bleachers, where people sit and stash bags. It was prime watching space. There was also a concession area with a few round tables and chairs. The concessions were really quite good. Vendors in abundance lined three sides of the floor, and provided promenades and markets. There was a children's corral, which was well used.

 

At the front entrance was registration, ably staffed by Bob Mahler, Jerry Martin, and a staff of Minnesotans and Winnipegers. Erin, as always, was styling. Facing the floor was the IJA table, ably run by Richard Dingman, Tom Bennett, Anne Macklin and Nancy Kelly. This was interface central- home of the bureaucracy, your tickets, the t­shirts and IJA merchandise, the answers to your questions, and a hug and a smile.

 

Nearly Normal Norman, the IJA major-domo, ran security and kept an eye on things with his wife, Barely Balanced Becky. Lots of brightly colored banners of juggling clubs and vendors surrounded the gym. I like lots of banners.

 

The floor was open 22 hours a day, and I never saw it empty. This was the place for passing clubs, or watching. Watching was one of the favorite activities in Pittsburgh. There was a lot to watch. I remember sitting up in the bleachers one day with Peggy Reuss (the ASL interpreter) and Kathy Glynn. We talked about everybody who walked by. It was great fun. We saw Ignatov walking his rolling globe. I told them about Ignatov walking his twelve pack up Beer Cheese Road. We saw Ignatov's 19-year-old daughter Katja, as sweet as any eight ring juggling, ball walker you will ever meet. When Katja was not juggling, we saw her strolling the gym in high heels and short skirt. Others saw her, too!

 

Watching Waldo and Arsene pass clubs was a crowd pleaser. So was watching Martin Frost and others doing incredible multiple club patterns. Stud jugglers were prevalent and came in all sizes, sexes and colors. Up two flights from the gym floor were workshop rooms, the history lounge, the juggling art exhibit, and the casual bar.

 

(Here's to Jack Greene... clink!)

 

Let me explain the casual bar. The college allowed a company to set up a cash bar at several banquet tables in a lobby close to the entrance to the tent. They sold beer and pop, and perhaps other things. I just know for sure that they sold beer. They opened every day some time early in the afternoon, and ran late. They sold a lot of beer, and the convenience and casual party atmosphere worked to our delight. The casual bar gets a gold star from this festival attendee. One night at the casual bar I saw Bill Giduz, Jek Kelly and Braidy Brown listening to Waldo tell a hilarious story about driving six women in a limousine to a Montreal strip club. He said he juggled two balls in his right hand for them while running the electric windows with his left hand, all the while steering with his left knee and offering running commentary!

 

The workshop rooms were scattered around the casual bar. I happened to notice during the week while passing to and fro from the bar that the workshops were very well attended. Robert Peck did an excellent job recruiting and running the workshops.