Annual Frog Jumping Contest - Angels Camp, Frogtown USA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Bernd das Brot Team
N 38° 04.320 W 120° 32.549
10S E 715568 N 4216655
Celebrating the "Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"
Waymark Code: WM3Y56
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 06/03/2008
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member lilluckyclover
Views: 91
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In 1863, a journalist named Samuel Langhorne Clemens spent traveled from California to Nevada and spent a night in Angels Hotel in the tiny mining town Angels Camp. Here, he heard the story of Daniel Webster a bull frog able to jump higher and further than any other frog. Two years later, and using his pen name Mark Twain the young journalist published the tale under the title "The The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".
The story paved Mark Twain's road to fame, but it also put the tiny mining town Angels Camp on the world's map, and Angels Camp is eternally grateful celebrates the famous writer and its very own frog jumping history with an annual Frog Jumping Jubilee. This Jubilee at the Angels Camp Fairgrounds started in the late 1800s and was a local event until the late sixties, when it turned into a County Fair / Biker Meeting / Flea market with thousands of people from all over the world. This waymark is not about this big and totally over the board event but about an attempt to claim the festival back for locals.

In 2006, the local Lions Club, Girl Scouts and other organizations decided to get away from the crowded, noisy Frog Jumping World Championship and create their own local event right downtown in Utica Park. The start was successful and so it was done again this year and will continue as an annual event. Instead of fighting your way through a crowd and having to pay $70 participation fee, you can sit in a shady picnic area and enjoy the company of local folks. And for a $5 donation, you can jump your very own frog. You will not win the world championship but maybe a t-shirt that will remind you of a fun afternoon. We had fun and we will be back.

Volker and frog "Judy"

Getting ready to jump ... Happy landing after 8' 02''
Unfortunately, we didn't a picture of "Judy" in mid air, but here are some other contestants:
Sometimes, watching people jump is even more fun than watching frogs jump:
No frogs were harmed in the making of this waymark!
How many days does the festival last?: 1

Admission Price: 5.00 (listed in local currency)

National, County, or City Festival?: City Festival

Coordinates Location:: Park's Center

Website:: Not listed
Visit Instructions:
You must visit the festival at the time of the event. You must post a picture of the festival as it is going on, or a picture of a sign or banner promoting the festival.
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