July ‘25: the Mayor’s Celebration in Fort Smith
Despite its signature heat and humidity, summer in Arkansas is always full of (mostly outdoor) celebrations. In Fort Smith, the city’s Fourth of July party was happening on the riverfront, and while they were listening to a local band and waiting for fireworks, thousands of Arkansans and Oklahomans also watched some juggling, up close and personal.
How many events can you name where a bunch of people are wandering around, just waiting for something fun to happen? I can think of at least five. Festivals, fundraisers, fairs, funerals, and Fort Smith—and those are just ones I’ve performed at! That’s because they’re the perfect kind of event for what I do. Since most people never get to see it live, juggling can add a unique moment that makes the whole experience more memorable, especially when it’s close up and you’re a part of the show.
As people arrived for the annual celebration, they could pick up a free t-shirts and ice cream, and then would be greeted by some type of entertainer—a clown (not me), a magician (not me), or a juggler (!!!). Families would stop to enjoy a short performance, and if I noticed a kid was particularly into it, I’d make sure to hand them a juggling club to throw into the pattern. Inevitably, some people are looking for direction, so I also end up being a sort of tour guide at a lot of these events, helping newcomers get the lay of the land (and pointing them toward the free ice cream). And when they were ready, they’d wander around the park, visiting some food trucks, playing in bouncy houses, and maybe staking out the perfect spot for the fireworks show.
After the party got rolling and the park filled up with people, it was time to branch out into the crowd for round 2. I swapped my sparkly juggling clubs for a hoop & glass, and swapped my slightly dampened clothes for a fresh set. (Okay, yes, by slightly dampened, I do mean totally sweat-soaked, which I fully expected at when I was booked to juggle for four hours by the river in the 100° peak of summer). At a certain point, regardless of weather conditions, many events start to slow down. Folks are sitting down to eat, getting tired of walking, or settled into their evening spot and enjoying the atmosphere. For me, that’s usually a good time to bring an out a new juggling flavor to potentially add another cool moment to someone’s night. Instead of letting a little dead time bring down the mood, seeing the juggler from earlier stroll by with a new prop may turn into a second personal performance or at the very least, get a man to look up from his funnel cake long enough to nudge his wife—”look what he’s doing now!” As I mingled with the crowd, I had fun sharing my take on this old circus stunt, and I had to convince a few groups that it wasn’t a trick glass—more than one asked me to use their water bottle (and yes, I met the challenge!)
After a quick break to refuel (cold gatorade and a fresh pulled pork sandwich from a food truck 🤤), I was back to club juggling for the final leg of the gig. Once the fireworks got started, I beat the traffic and headed back to Little Rock, catching glimpses of the show in the rearview. It was a lot of fun meeting new people and getting to share something they had never seen before. It meant a lot that so many kids (and a few adults) would come find me later in the event just to see more juggling. This was my first time using hoop & glass in a walkaround setting, and I’m really pleased with how that aspect went. It’s a brand new concept to most people, so it quickly catches the eye and gets them curious. And at an event like this, it opened more doors for connecting with interesting, fun-loving people!
I learned I must look pretty different with a bowler hat, when one person saw me with the hoop and glass and said “oh my gosh, you have got to see the guy over there juggling!”
