Festival Reports

Jugglefest ' 82

By Bruce Hinterleitner Columbia, MO

 

Jugglefest '82, sponsored by the Y's Jugglers at the University of Missouri was a fantastic success. The credit is due to the jugglers themselves.

 

It was designed primarily to be a fun occasion, stressing open juggling. The 60 jugglers attending took full advantage of the time, sending every tossable item into the air in about every pattern thinkable.

 

Saturday evening we couldn't have asked for better weather for our barbecue in the park. The public show, "Juggler's Kaleidoscope," was superb, playing to over 300 appreciative Columbians.

 

Marty Pliske arranged for the housing of jugglers, ordered t-shins, ran the barbecue and put together the programs for the public show. John Yorg spent a tremendous amount of time making Jugglefest buttons.

 

A special thanks is due to Terrel Hayes, whose friendship and advice helped greatly, as well as Mike Vondruska and Larry Olson, who gave workshops and arranged the public show.

 

Mini-Convention

 

The Spring Mini-Convention at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. (site of the 1979 IJA Convention) was held April 2-4. Many props were dropped inside the large gym while the rain dropped on the gym.

 

Despite the poor weather, a fair crowd turned out for the Juggling Extravaganza Show on Saturday  night. On the bill were David Berman. Bob Nickerson, Fred Garbo, Dario and Co., Larry Vee, Allen Jacobs. and Sam Kilbourn. The show was well received. Eric Roberts did another fine job of putting together a delightful weekend for jugglers.

 

St. Fred's Day

By Charlie Willer, Ft. Wayne, IN

 

42 registered jugglers! Egg juggling (team passing) winners were Rex Frederick and Mike Fry, going nearly two minutes. What a mess!  What a blast!                                                   .

 

Public show as superb, but attendance a bust due to a 6" April blizzard, not to mention all the Hollywood stars doing a flood benefit at our gorgeous Embassy Theatre.

 

The Open Challenges were well patronized and well answered. I can remember Dan Drake's ring-ball-club / ball-thru-ring-every-right-hand challenge being unmet. He did about a dozen in a row.

 

My wrong-end club toss challenge was wiped away by over 1000% by Humphrey Mar of Indy who was also in the public show. AI Eisenhou of Plymouth brought his 10-pound shotputs, did about 70 tosses to cheers of "macho-macho man," then was wiped out by successive feats of 85, 90, and 120 and ... egads! I forget?'

 

Outstanding jugglers were Mike Vondrusk of Bensenville, IL, who did a very steady five ball cascade for what seemed like hours in the numbers juggle competition. Surprising skiIl was exhibited by two very young jugglers, Larry Hopkins and Brian Hulse of Knightstown, IN.  

 

The one-leg / three ball marathon proved to be the most popular event, with over half of the registered jugglers hopping in. Rules were: start together. if you drop a foot or a ball, you're out. The co-winners were Larry Thompson of Ft. Wayne and Rusty Schussler of Columbus, OH, who agreed to call it a draw at 30 minutes!