Liza Mitchell
Hemming Park has played host to thousands during One Spark and transformed into a live music stage for the Jacksonville Jazz Festival. On June 5-6, Hemming Park welcomes Pogopalooza, the largest pogo stick competition in the world, to the downtown core.
Xpogo LLC, the global governing body for the sport of extreme pogo, selected Hemming Park as one of only two cities to host tour stops for Pogopalooza 2015, the World Championships of extreme pogo. Now in its 12th year, Pogopalooza has been held in 15 cities across three countries since 2004. The 2015 US Open will be held in Jacksonville’s Hemming Park followed by the World Finals July 3-4 in Philadelphia.
Pogopalooza’s two-day US Open event in Hemming Park will feature the best Xpogo athletes from across the globe, including US, Canada, South America, Russia and Western Europe. Athletes will vault up to 10 feet off the ground on super-charged, specially fabricated pogo sticks, pushing the limits of action sports. The championship is a high-paced competition featuring Freestyle, Best Trick and High Jump events. Athletes will compete for a $10,000 total prize purse as well as coveted world rankings.
The bid for the world record in Most Consecutive Bounces begins at 6 am Friday, June 5 followed by the High Jump Competition at 4pm and Freestyle Qualifying at 5 pm. On Saturday, participants will begin the AM JAM Amateur Competition at noon with Freestyle Finals at 2 pm and the Best Trick Competition closing out the day at 5 pm
In addition to the competition, Pogoplaooza will feature world record attempts, a pogo stick expo and a free jump area where children and adults can attempt the world’s best pogo sticks, both classic and extreme. Hemming Park will also have local vendors, food trucks, refreshments, music and more.
Xpogo LLC is dedicated to growing the sport of Extreme Pogo through their support and perpetuate it globally. Visit www.Xpogo.com and www.Pogopalooze.com. for more information. Founded in 2013, Friends of Hemming Park (FOHP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to programming Hemming Park year round to make it a clean, safe and attractive gathering place for family-friendly activities (www.hemmingpark.org).
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