The competition begins on the Thursday of the Jumping Frog Jubilee and continues up to the finals on Sunday, when the top 50 jumpers compete. Twenty-nine years old, and still known as Samuel Clemens at the time, Mark Twain was deeply in debt (having been fired from one too many newspaper jobs), and was fleeing the Civil War in the South, staying with a friend in a cabin in Tuttletown while hoping to change his luck with pocket gold mine adventures. Flash, and Logan grips The Webbed One. Sandie Lema, a … San Jose twins Madison, left, and Logan Busch stand beside their trophies Logan says it’s not unusual for him to go up against his sister. In addition, if you beat the world record (currently held by Lee Guidici whose frog Rosie the Ribiter,  jumped 21-feet, 5-3/4 inches in 1986) you would not only replace Guidici as world-record holder and receive international media attention and a $5,000 cash prize, but you would also receive a brass plaque in the Frog Hop of Fame. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The Jubilee starts with a children's parade in downtown Angels Camp and ends with a Destruction Derby on Sunday evening. The first Calaveras County Fair took place in Copperopolis in 1893 making it one of the longest continually running fairs in all of California. Just 1¼ inches separated the first- and second-place jumps in this year’s Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee, but the winners are even closer than that. First timers sometimes practice on the Lily Pad stage before their jump time on the Main Stage. Between jumps the frogs are pampered in the Frog Spa, open to daily tours. Contestants can bring their own* frog, or use one of the local California bullfrogs collected and housed at the”Frog Spa” during the four days of the Calaveras County Fair. Read on to learn more! Why it all started with Mark Twain of course. 753 South Main Street The Frog jumping competition runs throughout the full four day span of the fair, the third weekend in May every year (Thursday through Sunday). Ben Archer, 10, and Ella Stroup, 7, pick up frogs after the frog jumping contest at Turners Station on Saturday, July 20, 2019. The story, first published in book format in 1867, later became known as The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. ANGELS CAMP, Calif. — The Calaveras County Fair and the Jumping Frog Jubilee plans to continue, rain or shine, May 16 to 19 for its 91st year. The 13-year-olds are seventh-graders at St However, it wasn’t until the early 1930’s that the International Frog Jumping Jubilee merged with the Calaveras County Fair. It’s up to contestant frog jockeys to learn what the frog needs to be able to go the distance. The Webbed One, owned by Logan Busch, jumped 18 feet, 6 inches to victory in the May 19 competition, held in Angels Camp. No, Samuel Clemens didn’t find gold, but he did strike it rich in Angels Camp, CA, when he overheard a local bartender absolutely butchering what could have been a hilarious story about one of these informal frog jumping competitions. The event only grew from there. One of the longest running fairs in California, this four day event draws participants from towns not only all around the country, but also all around the world. These days, the Jubilee kicks off with a children’s parade in historic downtown Angels Camp, and loads of classic fair events (including classic fair food, carnival rides, live music, goofy competitions, livestock, rodeo, opportunities to sample award winning local wines and agriculture) all while taking part in the namesake event–frog jumping. (Photo courtesy of Kristi Busch), Logan Busch urges The Webbed One on to victory in last month’s frog jumping Jumping Jack Flash came in second. Held the 3rd weekend in May each year (Thursday through Sunday) the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee commemorates the story that launched Mark Twain’s career, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. So if your frog jumps in a circle, even if it’s a REALLY big circle, that would count as zero feet. San Jose twins leap to victory at frog jumping…, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), 49ers 23, Rams 20: Defensive takeaways, Deebo Samuel power Niners to critical road win, San Jose twins leap to victory at frog jumping contest, | Editor, Silicon Valley Community Newspapers. One of the things that they sometimes bet on was who could capture a frog that would jump farther than anyone else’s frog. After that publication, it wasn’t until the celebration of the first ever road paving in Angels Camp, CA  in 1928 that local residents, many of whom had personal connections to Mr. This first frog jumping contest was such a hit, that two years later, the County Fair and frog jump were merged into one event and first held at their permanent home at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp, CA. Angels Camp, CA 95222, Main Phone: 1-209-736-0049 Contestants of all ages are welcome to participate at both stages. Bay Area rapper Lil Yase killed in Dublin weekend shooting, On Bay Area’s busiest COVID ward, ‘doom and gloom’ returns but more hope for second wave of patients, Share the Spirit: East Bay Children’s Law Offices represent youth’s interests. The Frog Jump is facilitated by a group of dedicated volunteers that meet monthly to plan the annual competition. “I have a twin sister, and everything in the house is a competition,” he says. Winners each year can expect a a cash prize, a handsome brass plaque commemorating their win embedded in historic downtown Angels Camp’s Frog Hop of Fame and a commemorative trophy. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. Each contestant will place their frog on the starting lily pad and sing, leap, dance, whistle, stomp, yell, or blow to get their frog to begin jumping–but whatever you do, remember that in order to qualify, once your frog is on the starting lily pad, you cannot touch the frog. Pick up a copy of the Fair Guide at the fairgrounds or visit calaverasenterprise.com for scheduling and event information. Fast forward to Mark Twain’s time in the area in the 1860s, during the tail end of the Gold Rush. The Frog Jumping Competition takes place in two side-by-side locations at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds (which is also known as Frogtown) in Angels Camp, CA, The Main Stage is where the competition takes place, and the smaller Lily Pad stage is great for anyone wanting to jump a frog without the pressure of competition. Located in the beautiful rolling foothills of California’s Gold Country just outside the quaint Gold Rush town of Angels Camp, the international The Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee is disguised as a small town fair harkening back to a simpler era. Did you know you can’t train a frog? Read on to learn more about frog jumping, Mark Twain’s connection to Angels Camp, and catch one of our convenient guides to the Calaveras County Fair below. The 13-year-old twins, who are seventh-graders at St Martin of Tours in San Jose, come from a long line of frog jumpers. But to learn that story, we’ll have to travel back in time to the mid-1800s, during the height of the Gold Rush. Frog jumping happens all four days of the event, with the final day featuring the last day of frog jump challenges (including the International Frog Jump finals). 2019 Fair Entertainment. I usually end up with scrapes and bruises on my arms and legs because the stage is concrete. May 16-19, 2019 101 Frogtown Road Angels Camp, California frogtown.org. Warming the frogs up helps get them feisty and ready to jump.”, According to Logan, the path to victory in the frog jump is simple. “The frogs we jumped in the finals are the ones we caught,” she adds. Professional Frog Teams travel from all over the world to compete. Kid Friendly Restaurants in Angels Camp, how Mark Twain found his voice in Angels Camp, CA. (Catch a sneak peak at Secrets to the Frog Jump here). Once the frog begins to jump, a good frog jockey knows to attempt to get the grog to continue moving forward in a straight line, since the final distance will be measured from the starting lily pad in a straight line to the final landing position the frog made in it’s third jump. (Turn on audio to fully enjoy this fun footage of a 1961 newsreel of the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee,). That’s right! Samuel Clemens thought to himself, if I can recreate this story, exactly as that man told it, I am going to be famous, and the rest is history. Email: info@gocalaveras.com, Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee – Overview, Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee – Tips and Guides for Frog Jump Weekend, How to Jump a Frog at the Calaveras County Fair, Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee – History, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Frog Jump Fun: Top 5 Don’t Miss Activities, Let’s Eat! Visitors Center & Office Location The Frog jumping competition runs throughout the full four day span of the fair, the third weekend in May every year (Thursday through Sunday). Their family has competed in the contest for 20 years with the World Championship frog team, which appropriately enough produced the world record-holder Rosie the Ribiter, jockeyed by Lee Guidici, who jumped 21 feet, 5¾ inches in 1986.