From: celarier@reed.edu (Stuart Celarier)
Newsgroups: rec.juggling
Subject: Report on the Portland Juggling Festival
Date: 16 Apr 92 19:18:19 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Apr16.191819.27223
Organization: "No Problem, Easy Pickup" Portland Jugglers

[Gabriel mode on -- blowing my own horn]

The inaugural Portland Juggling Festival was a tremendous success on all fronts.
As festival director I was extremely please at the attendance and how well
receive the entire festival was.  Nearly 200 jugglers showed up, as well as
dozens of spectators, and all four local TV news crews.  The public show ran
just about two and a half hours, packed with really great acts -- with over
400 people in the audience.  The whole festival came off without a hitch, and
the mood and energy bordered on euphoric the entire weekend.  T-shirts went like
hot cakes, and I think the vendors did a pretty good business, too.

Friday night started out with Pat McGuire and Jay Gilligan getting a pretty big
spot on the local news (that got them pumped up!), followed by all kinds of
really great people showing up and filling the gym air with props.  One German
fellow bicycled all the way from Isla Vista to get here.  We had a big
contingent from Seattle, and people from all over California. Rhys and
Maria Thomas (Up For Grabs) layed out a very nice table for the informal Welcome
Party, complete with a dried flower and juggling club centerpiece (a true
work of art) and other tastefully arranged juggling props adorning the array of
food.  Leftover treats were set out Saturday noon to the delight of all.

Saturday things got into full swing with workshops every hour.  These were a big
hit and well attended.  A number of the best were James Ernest teaching contact
juggling, Joe Buhler and Boppo (Bruce Tiemann) on site swap notation, Clinton
Holzhauer with amazing diabolo tricks, Rhys Thomas taught plate manipulations
(they broke a _lot_ of plates which means they had a good time), Pat
McGuire on learning head rolls; Moshe stepping in twice to cover for others to
teach club swinging and hat manipulations; and the Portland Jugglers including
myself teaching a variety of club passing topics.  The Portland Jugglers also
offered beginning three-ball lessons every hour throughout the festival which
went over _very_ well and got a lot of media attention.

The occasional shower (rain, that is) had no noticable effect on the juggling:
one gym with nice high ceilings was available exculsively for open juggling and
vendors, a second gym and a nice doubles' squash court for workshops.  It was
comfortable and colorful, but not crowded.  The prices encouraged a lot of youth
and seniors to attend ($15 general, $10 student & senior, $3 child age 12 and
under).  There were a number of schools who came in bunches, and grandparents with
the grandchild who juggles.  A lot of closet jugglers came out of the woodwork,
and were amazed that there were so many other people in the same room who
juggled.  We sold about 20 new IJA memberships, including one to a 65 year old
woman who started juggling this weekend.

Saturday evening the public show was really wonderful, both for the audience and
the performers.  Rhys Thomas and his sister Zephyr warmed things up with fire
eating, followed by Rhys' plate manipulation and other kitchen jugglery.  Moshe
prestidigitated and performed knot tricks and hat tricks.  Rudi Galindo and
Roger Fountain had terrific slapstick acrobatics, and Henrik did a straight-jacket
escape on a unicycle.  Pat McGuire did two sets, including lots of head rolls,
and a clean seven ball lift on a rola bola.  Rob Brown, 1991 national silver medal
unicyclist, did a great routine on a standard and giraffe uni, as well as a big
wheel uni and an ultimate wheel (just a wheel and two pedals -- no seat).  Jay
Gilligan was predictably great as well, with a range of props and tricks,
including jumping his uni over the prone body of his brother Todd.  And the list
goes on...  Fortunately three or four people videotaped the show, and we are
hoping to get our hands on the footage.  Performers were doubly happy that they
got paid -- they say if word gets out that public show performers get paid
at the Portland Juggling Festival that even more people will start showing up.

Sunday everyone went out for late breakfasts and then there were more workshops
and open juggling until 5 p.m.  The festival created the Ben Linder Memorial
Award for Inspiration, a people's choice award for the most inspirational person
at the festival, in memory of native Portlander Benjamin Linder, engineer,
juggler and unicyclist, who was killed by U.S. backed _contra_ forces five years
ago this month.  The award was presented by Ben's parents, David and Elizabeth
Linder, and was given to me for putting the festival together (I really didn't
expect that!)

Thanks to everyone who came, and to everyone who helped out.  The people and the
mood and the energy were just incredible.  The question everyone is asking me is
"will there be a festival next year?"  I don't see why not.

Stuart Celarier  <celarier@reed.edu>
Director, Portland Juggling Festival
Coordinator, "No Problem, Easy Pickup" Portland Jugglers
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