Annually, Frog Jumping Jubilee Day is observed on May 19. At the Calaveras County Fair, the Jumping Frog Jubilee takes place. It appears to be a small-town carnival, but don’t be fooled. The story of Frog Jumping Jubilee Day begins in City of Angels Camp, and there is so much more to discover.
In the third week of May, Angels Camp hosts the beloved County Fair and International Frog Jumping Contest, where frogs are not only forced to leap but also compete with one another. This story is about so much more than the holiday itself. Frog Jumping Jubilee Day, an annual event attended by between 30,000 and 50,000 people, is a combination of history and fantasy tales.
The background of Frog Jumping Jubilee Day
Since 1928, Frog Jumping Jubilee Day has been celebrated in the magnificent rolling foothills of California’s Gold Country, in the City of Angels Camp. The Jumping Frog Jubilee takes place at the internationally renowned Calaveras County Fair, which can be best understood with a bit of literary context. This cherished tradition honours and dates back to Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.”
In the 1860s, Mark Twain, then known as Samuel Clemens, was attempting to mine gold in order to pay off his debts. A barman in California, specifically Angels Camp, was telling a humorous and absurd story about the frog competitions that some residents of the small community enjoy. Clemens did not locate gold, but he did discover his vocation as a writer. In 1867, the book “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” was published. This story and legend from the Gold Rush not only influenced Twain’s fame, but also made Angels Camp and Calaveras Camp internationally renowned.
In the 1920s, Angels Camp residents who were close to Mark Twain were inspired to commemorate the town by hosting the first annual international frog jumping competition in Angels Camp. Two years later, they decided to combine the Country Fair and Frog Jump event at their residence in the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp, California, due to its overwhelming success. Tens of thousands of visitors attend the four-day event today.
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FROG JUMPING JUBILEE DAY ACTIVITIES
The story by Mark Twain should be read.
What better method to learn about this holiday than by reading its origin story? You will also learn why Twain is regarded as such a wonderful storyteller.
Learn more about amphibians
Learn why frogs are so essential to the ecosystem and environment through research. You can also view YouTube videos about ponds if you’re too afraid to visit one.
Create your own leaping contest
If you or your companions are unable to organise a frog jumping competition, why not participate? Create your own conditions to determine who can leap the farthest.
5 Frog Facts to Get Your Hop On
Frogs absorb water via their epidermis.
To alarm predators, many poisonous frogs are coloured in this manner.
Frogs can slough or moult their skin, which they then consume.
On average, amphibians can leap twenty times their height.
As amphibians, frogs can readily adapt to extreme temperature and environmental changes.
FROG JUMPING JUBILEE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 19 | Friday |
| 2024 | May 19 | Sunday |
| 2025 | May 19 | Monday |
| 2026 | May 19 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | May 19 | Wednesday |
