Cedar Rapids will host the International Jugglers’ Association (IJA) 2017 Juggling Festival. The 70th annual festival is scheduled for July 10-16, 2017.
The Cedar Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) estimates 600 jugglers and family members will spend more than $350,000 at local businesses while in the area. The event will use facilities including the U.S. Cellular Convention Center, Paramount Theatre, and Coe College.
Jugglers and variety artists of all ages and ranging from beginners to hobbyists to world champions and professional performers will converge on the area for a week of juggling, workshops, medal competitions, and public shows. Festivals feature four nights of live shows and championship competitions. The week is capped off with a world-class public show called “The Cascade of Stars.” All evening performances and championship competitions are ticketed events open to the public.
Clark Outdoor Track at Coe College will be used for a joggling competition on July 15. Joggling is running while juggling. Joggling championships are held at each festival with jugglers of all ages competing in over a dozen track events with competitors juggling from three to five balls or clubs while they run.
Cedar Rapids native, Doug Sayers*, was the winner of the 2009 IJA Stage Competition. To date, Doug is the only person to win all four solo numbers competitions (balls, rings, clubs, and bounce juggling) at the IJA in the same year. He also holds a number of world records. Doug currently resides in Las Vegas.
The CVB began pursuing the IJA Annual Festival after Doug Sayers was announced the winner of the 2009 Stage Competition. The amenities of the new U.S. Cellular Convention Center, revitalization of downtown Cedar Rapids, and persistent follow-up by the CVB over the last six years all contributed to successfully securing this event.
About the International Jugglers’ Association: The International Jugglers’ Association was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1947 as a way to promote the art and sport of juggling and to “render assistance to fellow jugglers.” IJA has held annual festivals every year since. The 2015 festival will be in Quebec, Canada and the 2016 festival is set for El Paso, Texas. For additional information visit juggle.org/festival.
About the Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: The Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is responsible for attracting new destination events to the community, providing service and support to existing and repeat events, providing comprehensive information to area visitors and helping drive decisions of future visitor product development. Locally, the organization encourages community pride and educates the community on the value of visitors, tourism and travel. Tourism resulted in domestic travel spending of more than $734.6 million in Linn County in 2013 and employed 6,000 people. For more information about the CVB visit www.Cedar-Rapids.com.
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