More than 100 jugglers gathered in Atlanta Jan. 31 - Feb. 2 at Grady High School for the 19th annual Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival put on by the Atlanta Jugglers Association. The gym was filled all three days with jugglers, vendors and spectators. The bleachers were full and there was standing room only for the competition on Saturday afternoon.

The Seed and Feed Marching Abominable band opened the competition with their wild and zany marching show. AJA club president L.J. Purtee presented an award to the band to thank them for their 19 years of awesome performances at the Groundhog Day Jugglers Festivals.

Master of ceremonies Rodger French kept the audience informed and entertained throughout the competition on Saturday and the public show on Sunday afternoon. He also provided his lively accordion accompaniment for some otherwise music-less acts.

Jugglers competed for the legendary PHIL awards (provided by founding AJA member Bill Giduz) in the categories of "Most Stupendous", "Most Magnificent" and "Most Incredible" (in no particular order). Following our groundhog festival tradition, several competitors continued to polish their acts and won medals at the International Jugglers Association Festival in Pittsburgh in August 1997.

Saturn Dave Otto the Great Greg Forbes Ed Carstens "Most Magnificent"

Michael Grebe Matt Henry "Most Stupendous" Flight Patterns Jimmy Robertson and Todd Blair "Most Incredible"

On Saturday night the Midnight Cabaret opened with music from the Deluxe Vaudeville Orchestra featuring Rodger French on accordion, Toni Shifalo on washtub bass, Andy Ford on euphonium, Bruce Plott on trumpet, Ken Brown on drums, Chip Epstein on violin and Lisa Mount on banjo. Members of the Atlanta Tango Society danced as the band played. Juggling and more hilarity followed.

The Public Show on Sunday afternoon featured more juggling, comedy and magic.

-- Article and pictures by Joyce Howard

Read the article about this festival published in the IJA's Jugglers World magazine.