SPRINGFIELD – After a morning of rain, the clouds parted and allowed the sun to shine on the return of the Governor’s Frog Jump and International Egg Strike Festival.
For two years, the people of Springfield have been without the festival due to COVID-19. Seeing their loved ones and neighbors out on Saturday made the day feel like a family reunion.
“It’s a family-friendly atmosphere. It’s a lot of fun for kids and adults. You see a lot of people you know, and it feels very good. It feels like everyone is home now,” Morgan Gardner said.
Terry Williams said, “It was a great event. It feels good to be back after a two-year hiatus and it’s been a good turnout. It brings entertainment along with bringing people together with family on the Easter holiday.”
The festival featured a carnival with rides, games and food, coupled with the annual Frog Jump and Egg Strike Contest.
Some people bring their own grills to cook and enjoy their time together.
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“It brings people together, it brings the community out, and people get to share fun and excitement. You can have entertainment for the children, you can set your grill up, you can barbecue, and still have safety,” Williams said.
Heather Matcy said, “It’s a whole lot of fun. It’s great for the kids and it’s a great way to get them out of the house.”
The Frog Jump and Egg Strike Contest brought in contestants from all age ranges.
Contestants brought their best eggs to the strike contest to test their durability. The crowds looked on as they crowned an adult and youth winner.
Once the dust settled from the Egg Strike, the Frog Jump took place. The frogs took their best shot at seeing who could jump the farthest in three designated jumps.
As the show came to an end, people were filled with laughter and joy.
The three place holders were children who each had their personal amphibians leap with double-digit numbers.
“We really promote the Frog Jump for the kids, even though the adults are the ones that are the most competitive,” Julie Robinson said.
“This is a tradition, so people are teaching their children how to jump the frogs, how to take care of them and we love to have the youth involved. People love to jump the frogs. They pass it down from generation to generation,” Robinson said.
Egg Strike winners
• First – Hallie Augustine
• Second – Ames Still
• First – Ben Dempsey
• Second – Mark Williams
2022 Frog Jump Winners
• First – Gunnar Alberson, 14 feet, 6 inches
• Second – Carson Sumner, 13 feet, 10 inches
• Third – Jude Still, 12 feet, 6 inches
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