Don’t know how to juggle but want to learn?

Then the 13th annual Pocono Juggle/Circus Arts Festival is the place to be this weekend.

The festival runs from Friday through Sunday at Panther Valley Junior Senior High School in Lansford.

Hours for the event are 5-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Three days of open juggling and various circus arts will take place in the gym, and many workshops free to the public will be offered by professional jugglers and circus artists.

There will be plenty of jugglers on hand to teach those who want to learn the basics. People who want to try begleri or rolla bolla can do that, too.

A highlight of the festival is a big show.

Show lineup

The show on Saturday evening will be chock full of performers who have entertained throughout the United States and around the world.

There is a ticket fee for the show, which will be held in the school auditorium at 7 p.m., but children 5 and under will be admitted for free.

All seats are general admission. Tickets will be available Friday and Saturday in the gym or at the door before the show. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

One of the notable performers in this year’s lineup is also the emcee, Michael Rosman. For more than 35 years, Rosman has been a premier figure in entertainment, delighting audiences with his unique blend of comedy, juggling and spoof magic.

His diverse style showcases original comedy and a range of circus skills, highlighting his prolific creativity.

With degrees from the University of Delaware and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown College, Rosman’s performances have captivated global audiences in various venues.

He founded acclaimed comedy groups, such as The DumbWaiters and Dingbats, securing the prestigious Maryland State Individual Artist Grant Award twice. As director of the Laughter Arts Foundation, he organizes professional development conferences like MotionFest and MiniFest for professional artists.

Also gracing the stage will be Archie Ingunza.

Ingunza is a New York City-based circus performer who specializes in diabolo, which looks like a giant yo-yo. He has worked with professional circuses such as Bindlestiff Family Circus and Circus Splendiferous. Additionally, he has placed in the top three in the 2024 USA National Diabolo Competition. He strives to inspire others through his art to become the best version of themselves.

Joe Janicki of Connecticut is more than a juggler. Now 42, Janicki’s circus journey began when he learned the devil sticks (juggling sticks) with friends about 30 years ago.

Around that same time he started learning how to ride bike trials, which is a sport that involves riders getting bikes up and over obstacles. Both have been a huge passion of his for the past three decades. Over the years he became proficient with poi, contact staff, juggling clubs, fire fans, fire eating and triple staff.

Janicki has carved out a niche as a pioneer and one of the most skilled devil sticks performer in the country.

Bubble artist

The Pocono Juggle/Circus Arts Fest headline performer this year is Philadelphia-based Meadow Perry.

Perry is a magician, bubble artist and actor who creates breathtakingly beautiful magic out of thin air. Discover true wonder as this sorceress of soap bubbles takes the rules of bubbles outside the box and takes audiences on an elegant journey exploring the soapy secrets that bubbles hold.

Her internationally acclaimed show, “Bubble Magic,” combines skillful bubble artistry, magic, music and theater to create a unique experience for her audience

Perry has appeared on The CW’s “Masters of Illusion” as well as at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. She also has performed for top companies like Amazon and Paramount and has been a featured performer for The International Brotherhood of Magicians 100th Celebration, The Society of American Magicians International Assembly, Washington Magic, The Boston Magic Lab, Philadelphia’s Smoke and Mirrors Magic Theater and the Philadelphia Zoo.

Other performers will also take the stage at the show.

In addition, show performers will also be offering free workshops for people who want to learn new skills or just watch.

Jugglers from the East Coast, Midwest and elsewhere in the United States, plus Canada, will be at the three-day festival.

The event is being hosted by the Panther Valley Junior Senior High School Wrestling Boosters and the Family and Consumer Science Club.

The Wrestling Boosters’ parent organization will have a food stand open throughout the weekend. The Family and Consumer Science Club will have its own menu of food on Friday night.

All proceeds from the food stand will benefit the wrestling program to help provide students with needed gear and opportunities to attend camps in the offseason, and the club to allow it to buy needed supplies.

Community sponsorship has been provided by The Inn at Jim Thorpe and the Y on Broadway, also located in downtown Jim Thorpe. Co-organizers of the event are Kim Laird, a retired Panther Valley teacher, and Rob Barowski, a current teacher at Lehighton Area High School.