

The European Juggling Convention (EJC) is the largest juggling convention in the world and this year’s event will take place in Newark, Great Britain from August 3-11, 2019. Come join us for 9 days of juggling utopia in the British countryside.

Ticket prices go up June 1, so pre-register today! There are many other options including day tickets and youth prices.

The full pricing information can be found at: www.ejc2019.org/tickets

Meanwhile, we chatted with some EJC frequenters to hear about some of their favorite EJC experiences.

First EJC attended? Edinburgh 1998

Number of EJCs attended? 19 EJCs (Missed only two EJCs since.)

Favorite EJC? Next/current EJC. From the past: I enjoyed 2013 Toulouse a lot.

What do you like most about EJCs? You make so many friends there and can be an active part of it, by practicing, teaching, volunteering and so much more.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? For sure, EJC 2011 was the most intense experience because I was part of the core team while it was the biggest EJC so far.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? The most memorable Shows for me are those, where I took part: Gala EJC 2002 in Bremen and 2005 in Ptuij were a blast. In the audience, I loved the Gala 2013 Toulouse.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? After the cancellation of Leipzig and the European Unicycling Championships 2019: That it happens! Of course, nice weather, health and safety, friendly atmosphere are more basics.

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Tip for a great EJC: Find a good balance between planned/scheduled time and time for letting things happen.

Another advice for EJC: Be an active part of EJC and make it enjoyable for everyone. Be a volunteer, teacher, entertainer or helpful in any other way. That is how EJC becomes an amazing experience for you.

First EJC attended? 2004 Carvin

Number of EJCs attended? 10

Favorite EJC? 2004 Carvin

What do you like most about EJCs? Great people, great shows, meeting friends from all over the world.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Sitting in a childrensswimmingpool with 6 other people under the moon in Athens and enjoying cocktails….

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? For sure: get the shoe by Flo and JJ

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Good weather

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Not too many plans/expectations – just enjoy what’s there

First EJC attended? First ejc 1998

Number of EJCs attended? 16 attended

Favorite EJC? 2003 svenvorg

What do you like most about EJCs? Ejc crowd momentum

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Parades 99 and 09 ejcs and any open stage events

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? Stefan sing and his beat box friend 2004 open stage.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? To perform well on stage and progress on new tricks

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Just turn up.

First EJC attended? EJC in Munich 2011!

Number of EJCs attended? I’ve been to 7, The only one I’ve missed since I started juggling was EJC in Lublin 2012.

Favorite EJC? This is a really hard question to be honest. The EJCs are always fun in different ways. They’re in different countries giving you the opportunity to meet new cultures and people. No EJC is the same, and they are all good in their own way.

What do you like most about EJCs? To meet all the people. EJC is a place where I meet all my friends I haven’t seen in a while, as well as getting to know new people.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? It would be at the EJC 2013, when I first met all of the Norwegian jugglers, who are now some of my closest friends. (I know we live in the same country, but we hadn’t met or spoken before this EJC)

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? My favorite show has to be Piti Peta Hofen show at EJC Lublin 2017. There’s a lot of acts that are my favorite, though. All the shows that surprise the audience at an open stage, is always some of my favorites.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? I’m going to the EJC with no expectations. I know that the Randalls are amazing festival organisers, so I know it’s going to be a good one!

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Don’t be shy, you’re in an environment with like minded people. Just say hi, and build new meaningful relationships with others. Oh, and don’t forget to go to the Gala show!

First EJC attended? Munich 2011

Number of EJCs attended? 8 EJCs! (in a row)

Favorite EJC? Lublin 2012

What do you like most about EJCs? The festival bubble. When you’re at an EJC, EJC is the only thing that matters. I love hanging out with all my juggling friends I only meet once or twice a year. It’s the biggest juggling event, which means jugglers from all corners of the world show up. It’s feels like one big reunion party, and it’s glorious!

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Kendama battle in the moonlight at Lublin 2012. Eating a million crêpes in Toulouse 2013. Spending 4 days to build a rain shelter in the norwegian camp that collapsed every night in Azores 2018.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? The Lublin 2012 gala show. Emil Dahls ring act in the Azores.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Good weather!

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Whether you know other jugglers or not, there doesn’t exist a better place in the world to meet new friends, and before you know it you have a crew! Don’t be intimidated by the level, it’s the people that matters, not the juggling. If you ever feel lonely, look for Scandinavians with matching merchandise and come party with us for 8 days straight! See you all there!

First EJC attended? EJC Ireland 2014

Number of EJCs attended? 4

Favorite EJC? Lublin 2017

What do you like most about EJCs? Getting to meet old and new friends from across the world who share the same interests as me.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Seeing the 5 ball world record in Almére.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? Joseph Viatte’s banana manipulation act. It blew me away!

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Nice weather, to meet many of my friends, a good juggling hall, some great food stands and a dope Gala show!

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Always have some extra snacks with you, and don’t over practice the first days!

First EJC attended? 2003, Svendborg

Number of EJCs attended? Every single one ever since my first one. 16 in total I think.

Favorite EJC? 2003, Svendborg

What do you like most about EJCs? The atmosphere and the idea of “from jugglers for jugglers”, people helping out and volunteering to make a beautiful event all together. The peacefulness, the crazyness and the joy in peoples faces. Meeting “the family” once a year in a different place.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Sunrising workshops in Svendborg and my first Renegade in Svendborg, I guess.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? All four shows of Circulation Locale in Svendborg. First time Defracto in (maybe Lille?). Later Shake That and Ea Eo. And many many more ?

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Spending quality time with my friends, putting together beautiful Open Stages with new and exciting acts, Parties into the morning, sun, a great and well organized core team and tons of volunteers.

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Be part of it and help out where you can – it is the best and easiest way to make new friends. Be a “maker”, not just a “viewer”.

First EJC attended? GRENOBLE 1996

Number of EJCs attended? 8/9

Favorite EJC? BRUNICO

What do you like most about EJCs? THE FREEDOM TO BE AND DO

What was your most memorable EJC experience? PRESENTING PEARLS OF JUGGLING AND THE YEAR LATER GETTING LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING UP AND CONGRATULATING ME AFTER HAVING READ IT!

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? THE LAST FOUR ACTS AT THE GALA IN ATHENS. EACH ONE UNBELIEVABLE BETTER THAN THE LAST.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? TO HAVE FUN TEACHING WORKSHOPS, I HAVE MANY NEW IDEAS THIS YEAR, I ALSO LIKE TO SEE COPIES OF MY BOOK TAKEN OFF AROUND THE WORLD

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? BREAK THE ICE. CHAT TO PEOPLE. DON’T PLAN TOO MUCH. PARTY A BIT BUT NOT TOO MUCH. COME TO MY WORKSHOPS. PICK UP A COPY OF PEARLS OF JUGGLING ?

First EJC attended? Karlsruhe 2008

Number of EJCs attended? 8

Favorite EJC? Bruneck

What do you like most about EJCs? seeing my friends, being inspired by the shows

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Matt Hall teaching me club back crosses at my first ejc, the whole convention was overwhelming though

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? Why just one?!?!?!?!?! That would be Defracto at EJC Bruneck

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? lots of epic juggling, an amazing time with my friends and breath-taking shows

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? don’t plan anything, just enjoy the moment and see where it takes you

First EJC attended? First EJC was Millstreet in 2014

Number of EJCs attended? I attended 4 EJC’s so far

Favorite EJC? My favorite was Almere 2016

What do you like most about EJCs? I like to see friends again from all over the world and Enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, everything is possible at an EJC.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? My most memorable EJC experience was hosting the Cafe Cabaret show at Millstreet 2014, it was the first show that I ever hosted and I really liked it. Most of the artists in that show where friends of mine, so it felt good to give them an amazing introduction and to see them perform. I haven’t stopped hosting shows since that day.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? My favorite EJC performance was the Gandini’s Smashed at Almere, but it’s followed closely by Eric Longequel’s diabolo act, I think that was in Almere too, I’ve seen it multiple times, but it makes me happy again and again.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? I’m hoping for good weather, cause the sun makes a good convention an amazing one. And for healthy, tasty food at the convention site.

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Be prepared for the unprepared, there’s so much happening at an EJC, so be ready for changing your plans from one moment to the next. Also: check,check and dubbelcheck the program, so you wont miss out on the things you’d like to do. Sounds contradicting in a way. So plan, but be ready to change your plans anytime.

First EJC attended? Munich 2011

Number of EJCs attended? 6

Favorite EJC? Toulouse

What do you like most about EJCs? The wide and colorful attendance

What was your most memorable EJC experience? Watching Wes and Andreas juggle together and being completely starstruck

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? I will never be able to choose. But Between Someonesons was one of my first breathtaking experiences.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? I’m looking forward to finally meeting many of the people I’ve only known online

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Talk to people and have fun. You can juggle by yourself all year long. ”

First EJC attended? Leeds

Number of EJCs attended? 19 and this year will be my 20th!!!!

Favorite EJC? Love them all, of course, but first Lublin for the traditional Polish live band music dancing and the exceptional Gala Show which, in a tent with incredible scaffold staging, was a multi media and performance story; not a theater type show with an announcer. It was clever and produced as something unique.

What do you like most about EJCs? Bar Areas, seeing the jugglers around town, watching the local people sitting in their windows watching the parade, meeting people from all over the world,

What was your most memorable EJC experience? In a time before cellphones and internet, we had little contact means with each other. Thus, we would never know who would show up at an EJC. It was a great waiting game and then jump for joy with gripping hugs at the moment your friends would arrive.

Loved the communal free breakfasts at Svendborg.

My JUGGLELOVE stickers have become a mysteriously iconic and people hunt to find them/me and that’s so special to give them out to people and meet these people. I’ve handed out over 5000 of them!

At Leeds, my first meeting Gray. He changed my attitude about life forever. Traveling lightly, he carried a little sack (hammock) and wore his special attire always and his two-color hair and he slept in a hammock strung on the soccer posts. He was and still is so special to me.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? Millstreet’s Gala Show with all the “celebrity performers” and I was a stagehand and getting to be with them for many days – big time fan dork!

In Hagen, the access pass was a metal clicky duck toy. When Kris Kremo performed, the applause wasn’t hand clapping-it was an audience of jugglers clicking their metal ducks!

As mentioned above, the first Lublin Gala.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Now that I’m old, I hope to be able to stay awake for late night fun! Haha

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Share wine with new friends! Make a point to meet 5 new people. Volunteer-come on Americans!

-i know there is so much more!”

First EJC attended? Rotterdam 2001

Number of EJCs attended? 12 so far. #13 coming up!

Favorite EJC? They’ve all been fantastic. Rotterdam was an awesome one to start. Other great ones have been Athens (interesting venue), Bruneck (great facilities) and the Azores (island paradise).

What do you like most about EJCs? It’s an enormous nonstop party with different crazy things happening in every room.

What was your most memorable EJC experience? You mean ones I can talk about? The midnight water park adventure in Rotterdam. Riding the omni-directional unicycle in Bremen. Mudsliding in Bremen. Performing in the juggling orchestra in Svendborg. The American party in Athens. Exploring the island in the Azores.

What has been your favorite EJC performance (act or show)? Jay and Manu’s club passing act in Carvin. The street performer who slapped mud on his face in Lublin and sculpted it into different shapes.

What do you hope for at EJC 2019? Catching up with lots of friends, chilling out, and of course, lots of club passing!

What’s your top tip for getting the most out of your EJC experience? Go open to having new experiences. That means sometimes leaving your group of friends, going to new venues at new times of day, joining workshops/events/volunteering opportunities that might not be normal for you, and letting fantastic unexpected things happen!

Ticket prices go up June 1, so pre-register today! If you’re struggling financially, there are discounted rates, but if you’re in a position to pay more, paying extra can help cover those in need. There are many other options including day tickets and youth prices.

The full pricing information can be found at: www.ejc2019.org/tickets