Food and Beverages
are available at various stands along the midway. Starting with coffee for those who arrive early to wait in the line, the serving continues throughout the day with delicious foods, snacks, soft drinks and beer. We do ask that you not bring in food and beverages, but rather partake of our offerings. Thanks.
Music
will be heard throughout the afternoon for your listening pleasure.
Activities
will be available throughout the afternoon, while waiting for your turn to jump your frog.
Souvenirs
including Frog Jump Tee shirts and beer mugs are available for purchase at the Hoppin’ Retail Shoppe.
How the Jump Works
Registration can be accomplished two ways. Limited online registration is available in advance during a certain time period.
Most people register at the Festival. Next to the jumping ring is the registration area. Opening at 10, the line may be long so have patience. When it is your turn fill out a form for each entry and pay the volunteer. Carry the form a few steps to where you will be given a Flight number when you register.
Twenty jockeys (you, the person registered and handling the frog, are the jockey) make up the Flights. Listen for your Flight to be called. Then enter the Bullpen where each Flight is formed up as instructed by an official. It is important to stay in line so the officials know who is actually jumping. You will be instructed when to enter the ring from the Bullpen and, if you are renting a frog, when and where to pick up and return it. Registration cost is $5.00 and use of one of our frogs is $5.00, total of $10. You are encouraged to catch your own, with suggestions here on how to do that!
Each frog is jumped one at a time. When it is your turn, bring your frog to the center of the ring, which is a brightly colored parachute. Place the frog in the green circle. The frog must take three jumps. Only the first three count.
If your frog jumps three times straight out from the center, a good distance is often achieved. However, if the frog jumps in different directions it may not do as well. It might jump twice straight ahead, then turn around and jump back towards the green circle. But you cannot touch it after it leaves the green circle!
The frog jumping the longest distance for each Flight is the winner. If that is you, you will receive a trophy at the end of the day’s event.
After all Flights have been completed, the Grand Jump Off is immediately held. Here, the winners of each Flight compete against the others. The Grand Champion and Reserve Champion each receive trophies as do the Longest and Shortest Jumps of the day. Often this is not the Grand Champion winner.
While you are waiting, remember there are lots of good foods to eat.
Registration closes when all the Flights fill up. Sometimes Flights fill within an hour or two after opening, sometimes not until later. Jumping begins at 11:00.
Sponsorships
Your business or family unit can sponsor a Flight, or become a corporate sponsor, by clicking here .
Our Concern for Frogs
We think frogs are neat, and try to take good care of them.
We handle our own frogs very carefully, and urge visitors to do so with frogs they bring. In fact, mistreatment is grounds for disqualification. At the end of the jump our frogs are carefully returned to area ponds, so as to ensure their well being.
We provide good old pond water in quantity, for all frogs present. We recommend pond water instead of tap water; the chlorine in tap water is not good for their sensitive skin which is on organ.
We hope you take good care of your frogs.
Where & When
The Festival will be Sunday, July 24, 2022.
The event is held at the Liverpool Mill Stream Park, located on the northeast side of Valley City Business District. It is on the Rocky River which makes this site very attractive. There is a blacktop path which leads from the parking lot to each venue. Adequate parking and closeness to the business district make this an excellent site.
Directions: From I-71 take Exit 226 (Brunswick). Travel west on SR 303 (Center Road) about 7 miles to Valley City. Turn north at the Fire Station and follow the signs to Mill Stream Park. There is no real address but for most GPS systems 1200 Maple Street gets you there.
From neighboring communities, find the intersection of SR 303 (Center Road) and SR 252 (Columbia Road). Valley City is 1/4 mile west on 303. Turn north at the Fire Station and follow signs to Mill Stream Park.
Parking and Admission are free. Please, no outside food permitted.
Food is available beginning mid morning throughout the day. Rides, games and other festivities pick up in earnest around noon.
Frog Jumping Statistics
Many people have asked about the longest jump, and so forth. So we started keeping statistics over the past several years. Here are some:
| Year | Longest Jump | Flight Winner’s Average |
| 2001 | 18′ 4″ | 13′ 6″ |
| 2002 | 18′ 3″ | 13′ 5″ |
| 2003 | 15′ 8-1/2″ | 12′ 6-1/2″ |
| 2004 | 15′ 5-1/2″ | 12′ 0″ |
| 2005 | 16′ | 12′ 5″ |
| 2006 | 15′ 10″ | 11′ 8-1/2″ |
| 2007 | 17′ 10″ | 13′ |
| 2008 | 14′ 10″ | 10′ 10″ |
| 2010 | 15′ 10.5″ | 12′ 3″ |
| 2011 | 13′ 7-1/2″ | 11′ 8″ |
| 2012 | 13′ 9 – 1/2″ | 11′ 2″ |
| 2013 | 16′ 8″ | 12′ 1″ |
| 2014 | 17′ 0″ | 12′ 6″ |
| 2015 | 15′ 8″ | 12′ 0″ |
| 2016 | 17′ 7″ | 12′ 8″ |
The longest jump we have record of is 19’ 1″, back in 1988. Wow!!!
17,556 total views, 16 views today