31st Annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival

The location and date for the festival is confirmed at the Yaarab Shrine Center for Feb. 6-8, 2009.

Coming to the festival?  Print your map to the Yaarab Shrine Center, a map to the theater at the Little Five Points Community Center for the late night cabaret and a list & map of nearby restaurants.

The weather forecast for the upcoming weekend in Atlanta says highs in the ??? and lows in the ???. We have no predictions yet about the groundhog seeing his shadow, but there's sure to be a lively and warm crowd at the Yaarab Shrine Center. We hope to see you there!

Date and Hours

Feb. 6-8, 2009

Gym hours are:

Friday: 5 - 10 PM

Saturday: 10 AM - 10 PM

Sunday: 11 AM - 5 PM

Flyer

Print a one-page flyer.

Shows

Saturday: 11 AM -- Georgia State Yo-yo Championship

Saturday: 2 PM -- Juggling Competition

Saturday 10:30 PM -- Fire and Light Extravaganza

Saturday: 11 PM -- Late Night Cabaret

The public is invited to watch the activities in the gym anytime.

Details

You'll find jugglers, unicyclists, yoyo pros, live music and family fun for all ages at the annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival. Know how to juggle? Want to pick up a few new tricks? Just like to watch and maybe learn how to juggle? Check out the fun at the 2005 and 2006 and 2007 festivals. Ask at the registration table if you'd like a free juggling lesson. We're always happy to teach others.

Competition for the famous PHIL award happens Saturday at 2 PM. Rules for the juggling competition are simple -- each competitor has 4 minutes, anything goes (NO FIRE!). Judges are selected from the audience and their only qualification is no knowledge of juggling. Cost is $1 to sign up for the competition. Sign up at the registration table. We close competition registration at 1 PM on Saturday one hour before the show. You must be a registered juggler to compete. Bring your own music for your act. Any act going over the 4-minute limit gets swept off the stage. See the list of past PHIL winners.

The Seed and Feed Marching Abominable band opens the show on Satuday at 2 PM. The juggling competition is a free show and lasts about an hour or so. The judges confer after all the competitors finish and we award the trophies at the end of the show. Registered jugglers have a chance to win some great door prizes during the show/competition.

The Late Night Cabaret will be Saturday night at 11 PM at the Horizon Theater in the Little Five Points Community Center at 1083 Austin Ave., Atlanta 30307 (map). The DeLuxe Vaudeville Orchestra will provide music and entertainment. Anyone who wants to perform or MC this event please let us know when you register (theater and show details). Admission $5 (free for registered jugglers). Tickets will probably sell out so get yours at our registration table at the Yaarab Shrine Center.

The Light Extravaganza happens at 10:30 PM in the parking lot of the Little Five Points Community Center. Bring your lighted props and come play outside before the late night cabaret begins (weather permitting).

Workshops

On Saturday and Sunday afternoon several workshops will be hosted by AJA club members and guests. If there's something you want to learn, just ask at the registration table and we'll find someone to teach an impromptu workshop.

Saturday after the show we'll teach beginning juggling

Sunday afternoon -- Thunder shower -- Bob McKee

Sunday 2 PM -- Club Passing -- Rick Purtee

??? -- Ball Bouncing -- Andy Ford

Sunday afternoon 1 PM -- Club Swinging and Poi -- Joyce Howard

Location

WE HAVE A GREAT LOCATION THIS YEAR ...... (a huge gym with a smooth tile floor and lots of lights!!!)

Yaarab Shrine Center Recreation Building
400 Ponce de Leon Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30308
(near the intersection of Ponce de Leon Ave. and Hunt St.) (here's a road map and a satellite image)

DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75/85 (the Connector downtown) to Freedom Parkway exit and go east on the parkway until you reach Ponce de Leon Ave. Turn left and go about a mile to the Yaraab Shrine Temple on your right. Look for the JUGGLING signs. Park for free in the Yaarab Shrine parking lot. We're in the recreation building in the back.  Here's a picture of the front of the building.

Transportation

MARTA is still the cheapest way to get around town. For only $1.75 you can catch a train from the airport, but don't forget to get a bus transfer.  The closest station is North Ave.  Walking Instructions: Go east on North Ave., left on Piedmont Ave., then right on Ponce de Leon Ave. (about 8-9 city blocks)

You can't hail a CAB in this town, you must call for a pickup. Rapid Taxi at 404-222-9888 runs 24 hours a day.

Cost

Registration for the entire weekend is $15 for jugglers and yo-yoists, which includes a raffle ticket for prizes (given away at the Saturday afternoon competition) and admission to the Late Night Cabaret. Admission is free to spectators and the public at large for all events at the Yaarab Shrine Center. Tickets for the cabaret are $5 each for the public. Please bring cash or a check for payment. We cannot accept credit cards.

Shirts

Commemorative Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival t-shirts will be available.

Food

Thornberry's Catering will sell food, snacks and drinks at our festival this year. They will offer hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, assorted salads ( tossed, chicken and tuna) pop corn, chips, candy bars, granola bars, soft drinks, power drinks and bottled water. They plan to sell food at the following times:
 

Friday 6 - 8 PM

Saturday 11 AM - 9 PM

Sunday noon - 3 PM

Here's a list and map of nearby restaurants You can print the PDF files from here or we'll have copies on the registration table.

Vendors

The following vendors will be at our festival this year selling juggling equipment. You can call or email these folks in advance to request that they bring a particular item. This would save the cost of shipping and handling:
 

• Infinite Illusions (Greg Cohen)
• Kinetic Juggling (Sky King)
• Laughing Dragon Swords and Toys (Diirga Brough)
• Aaron's Juggling Equipment (Aaron Antonich)
• Unicycle.com

We will also have a caricature artist at our festival this year.  His name is Keith Middleton with Fun Time International.
 

Higgins Brothers, the Bag Lady, Dubé and the IJA will not attend this year but sent us juggling items for the raffle on Saturday afternoon. Props from all the vendors at the festival will also be in the raffle.  Wallace Howard has donated three IJA memberships for the raffle.

We welcome all vendors of juggling items to our festival.  There is a charge of $75 for the first table and $50 for each additional table.  Call Jay at 404-288-7954 or email us at to reserve your tables and we'll add your name and website link or phone number here.  The tables are 8' long and 30" wide.

For More Information

email us at

Toni Shifalo: 404-299-3686

Dave Altman: 706-923-5500

Joyce Howard: 770-977-2558

Travel Information and Atlanta Attractions

Atlanta Travel Information

Georgia Aquarium

High Museum of Art

Stone Mountain Park

Zoo Atlanta

Housing

Crash space is available at club members' houses. You can call Alan Tidwell at (678) 665-5876 or email us at

or check with the people at registration to get a place to stay.

 

Here's a website showing hotels nearby.
 

Here's a list of hotels starting with the closest ones. Special festival rates are noted from last year (we're still checking for this year) -- mention the Atlanta Jugglers Association:

Highland Inn -- 644 Highland Ave, Atlanta 30312, 404-874-5756, 888-256-7221 (1.4 miles from festival)

Quality Hotel Downtown -- 89 Luckie St, Atlanta 30303, 404-524-7991 (1.9 miles from festival)

Super 8 Motel -- Atlanta/Downtown, 1641 Peachtree St., Atlanta 30309, 404-873-5731, 800-800-8000 (2.6 miles from festival)

Holiday Inn -- Midtown, (special $109 festival rate last year included one free breakfast) 1810 Howell Mill Rd & I-75, Atlanta 30318, 404-351-3831, 800-882-4828 (4.1 miles from festival)

Sleep Inn -- Buckhead, 800 Sidney Marcus Blvd, Atlanta 30324, 404-949-4000 (4.2 miles from festival)

Comfort Inn Downtown South -- 795 Pollard Boulevard, Atlanta 30315, 404-658-1610 (4.3 miles from festival)

Hampton Inn -- N. Druid Hills, 1975 North Druid Hills Rd NE, Atlanta 30319, 404-320-6600 (5.6 miles from festival)

Red Roof Inn -- Atlanta Druid Hills, (special $52 festival rate last year -- not sure about this year) 1960 N Druid Hills Rd NE, Atlanta 30319, 404-321-1653 (5.7 miles from festival)

Days Inn -- Clairmont, 2910 Clairmont Rd & I-85, Atlanta 30329, 404-633-8411, 800-329-7466 (6.9 miles from festival)

Marriott -- Century Center, 2000 Century Blvd NE, Atlanta 30345, 404-325-0000 (7.4 miles from festival)

Sierra Suites -- Lenox North, 3967 Peachtree Rd near N Druid Hills Rd, Atlanta 30319, 404-237-9100 (7.4 miles from festival)

Marriott -- Courtyard by Marriott, (special $69 festival rate last year -- not sure about this year) 1236 Executive Park Dr NE, Atlanta 30329, 800-321-2211, 404-728-0708 (7.7 miles from festival)

Econo Lodge -- Decatur, 2574 Candler Rd., Decatur, GA 30032, 404-243-4422 (9.2 miles from festival)

Quality Inn -- Northeast, 2960 N.E. Expressway I-85 @ Shallowford Rd. exit 93, Atlanta 30341, 770-451-5231, 800-228-5151 (9.3 miles from festival)

Groundhog Day History and Facts

Groundhog Day Funology

Groundhog Day History