News & Events
Berkeley Jam Fall
The Berkeley Juggling Club warmly invites you to the second annual Berkeley Jam: a Joyful Day of Juggling & Circus Arts in Willard Park, Berkeley on Sunday, September 20th, 2026.
Join us as we celebrate the last day of summer before the Autumn Equinox! Whether you're passing clubs, spinning props, riding a unicycle, sharing tricks, or learning to juggle for the first time, there' s no better way to welcome a new season than with friends, old and new, in the park.
What: Free Juggling & Circus Arts Jam
When: Sunday September 20, 11am-5ish
Where: Willard Park (2730 Hillegass Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705)
Who: All ages and skill levels welcome
Schedule
- 11am — event starts
- 12:30–1pm — workshop block #1: Intro to Juggling, and Right-Left, Left-Right passing patterns
- 1:15–1:45pm — workshop block #2: Intro to Poi, and funky box variations
- 2–2:30pm — workshop block #3: Think Inside the (Cigar) Box, and Mixed Chocolates & Whirling Dervish passing
- 3pm — games with Elan
- 5pm — event ends
Workshops
Intro to Juggling — this beginner workshop will teach the foundations of ball juggling, focusing on techniques and drills to begin your juggle journey.
Right-Left, Left-Right Passing, with Stephane — come learn double and triple variations while passing 6 clubs. Specifically, this workshop will explore double, triple, and quad throws from both hands, in 4-count, 3-count and 2-count variations, as well as how to apply it to a 3 person feeding pattern. Want a sneak peek? Check out this resource guide!
Intro to Poi, with Dominic — learn the basics of poi spinning! In this workshop, Dominic will be teaching the fundamental building blocks of poi spinning. If you've never spun poi before, or are still relatively new, or just want to review some key exercises, then this is the class for you!
Funky Box Variations, with Yonah — come learn some funky box variations with juggling balls! While we won't be unpacking Pandora's box, we'll introduce the broken and burst variations. Have fun catching and throwing under your arm while having your brain in a twist. All levels welcome, but having a solid shower pattern will be helpful.
Think Inside the (Cigar) Box, with Zeej — old prop, new possibilities. Learn the history and basics of cigar box juggling through flips, grips, turns, takeouts, tumbles, and tosses. We'll start with the strange physics of a single box, build up to classic three-box manipulation, then invent tricks of our own. By the end, beginners should understand: you don't need to memorize a hundred cigar-box tricks. Most cigar-box juggling comes from a few simple ideas: hold → release → turn → catch → change grip → recombine. No box experience needed, but do bring your own boxes if you have them!
Mixed Chocolates & Whirling Dervish Passing Patterns, with Jed — this workshop will explore two different multi-person passing patterns. Mixed Chocolates is a 3 person passing pattern (with either balls or clubs) and requires experience with chocolate bar passing plus some capability with angles. Variations include rotating the pattern, as well as the more advanced "Mixed Chocolate Mocha" which uses ¾ passing. Whirling Dervish is a rotating 4-count club passing pattern that can be run with 4–7 people. Variations include rotating out the person in the middle (aka The Dervish).
Volley Club
Love volley club? Never played? There will be nets set up at the jam. Want to get competitive? Sign up to play in the Volley Club tournament.
Jam Off
The Jam Off is on! Please bring homemade jam, jellies or marmalades to enter, and get ready to taste and vote on your favorite jamz.
Location & Getting There
We'll be at Willard Park (2730 Hillegass Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705) — look for the jugglers on the big grassy lawn! The park has bathrooms and water fountains.
- ~20 minute walk from Downtown Berkeley or Ashby BART station
- Accessible via the 22, 6, 27, or 51B AC Transit bus lines, ~5 min walk
- Street parking available in the surrounding neighborhood
Interested in teaching a workshop? We’d love to have you! Please reach out at festival@berkeleyjuggling.org.
Email us, if you want to be added to our announcment list.
Berkeley Jam Spring Fling 2026 - Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Berkeley Jam Spring Fling on April 12th! Despite the rainy weather, we had a fantastic turnout and enjoyed wonderful workshops, passing sessions, and community juggling throughout the day.
We're already looking forward to organizing another event in the near future. To stay updated on upcoming jams and festivals, sign up for our announcement list:
Yearly Announcements – Get updates on major events and festivals
Share Your Photos!
Were you there? We'd love to see your photos from the event! Please send them to us at festival@berkeleyjuggling.org and we'll add them to our gallery.