Mumfest adds acts to October lineup

Aerial pogo team, daring juggler come on board for outdoor festival October 11-12. Organizers of New Bern's largest outdoor festival have added two familiar acts to the talent pool for October's Mumfest.

The XPOGO team each heights of 10 feet on next
generation pogo sticks.

Signora Bella juggles knives and swords
while walking a slack rope.

     








The XPOGO team and Signora Bella, the great Italian equilibrist will perform during the October 11 and 12 festival in downtown New Bern.

     The XOGO team currently holds 15 world records and several Guinness records, It is touted as "the most talented and experienced extreme pogo team in the world."

     Their past performances range from Rio to Beijing to Hong Kong and later this year, they will entertain in Sweden and France.

     Extreme Pogo, or Xpogo, is an action sport performed on next-generation pogo sticks that have the potential o bounce more than 10 feet in the air, measuring from the ground to the bottom of the tip of the pogo stick.

     Signora Bella juggles flaming swords while balancing on the slack rope.  She has entertained audiences of all ages since her arrival on the eastern seaboard several years ago. She has performed on the streets of Williamsburg, Mount Vernon and at Poplar Forest, retreat home of President Thomas Jefferson. She also has performed locally at Tryon Palace.

     Bella brings to life the tradition of the traveling performers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. She traces her roots to the Italian theatrical style of Commedia Dell'Arte.

     Mumfest is two days of free entertainment, including live bands with music from beach to rock, dance troupes, magicians, roving street performers and face painters, along with hundreds of vendors and craftsmen.

     It will also feature the 13th annual Boat Show.  

     Times for all performances will be on the web at mumfest.com prior to the October event.

Sun Journal, July 3, 2014

Extreme pogo, Earnhardt exhibit added to MUMFEST

The XPOGO Stunt Team members leap upwards
of 10 feet while performing their acrobatic jumps

The famed NO.3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet
Monte Carlo of the late seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup
Champion Dale Earnhardt is among three NASCAR
racing machines that will be on display at MUMFEST.

Extreme pogo and a classic race car exhibit are among the latest attractions added to this year’s MUMFEST.

The annual two-day October festival is New Bern’s largest outdoor event, drawing upwards of 100,000 visitors. The Oct. 12-13 festival is produced Swiss Bear Development Corp.

Richard Childress Racing is bringing the No. 3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by the late seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt, to MUMFEST.

Earnhardt and Richard Childress Racing earned 43 of their 67 victories and four of their seven championships together in the famed No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

It is still one of the most recognizable race cars in the world.

Childress Racing also will bring two other race cars, the No. 29 Caterpillar and the No. 31 Budweiser machine.

NASCAR fans also will be able to test their driving skills in one of two simulators.

Joe Alcoke Auto & Truck Center is sponsoring Richard Childress Racing’s exhibit.

New this year is the XPOGO Stunt Team, the top extreme pogo exhibition team in the world, with high, acrobatic jumps.

The team currently holds 13 world records and Guinness records earned at Pogopalooza competitions since 2004. Their worldwide performances — from Rio to Beijing to Hong Kong and Europe — have helped grow the popularity of this extreme sport.

Pogopalooza — the world championship of extreme pogo — began in a parking lot in Nebraska in 2004 with six teams. Now, in its 10th year, Pogopalooza has grown into a major sporting event. This year’s world championship will be held July 26-28 in New York City.

Extreme Pogo is an action sport performed on next generation pogo sticks that have the potential to bounce more than 10 feet in the air, measuring from the ground to the bottom of the tip of the pogo stick.

Video on the web: xpogo.com

“MUMFEST fits everyone’s budget with two days of free entertainment, including live bands with music from beach to rock and barbershop. Dance troupes, magicians, roving street performers and face painters add color to the excitement,” according to a MUMFEST release.

Traditional MUMFEST favorites including Alex Clark, performing jaw-dropping stunts; Purina Incredible Dog Team with amazing aerial disc catches; the Silver Drummer Girl; a model train show; Little River Winery mobile tasting room; and NBPD’s K-9s will be back this year.

Also on tap are the Weller Retriever demonstrations and the 13th annual boat show.

Participants also can try their hand at songwriting and get feedback from published songwriters performing original songs.

For wine and beer connoisseurs, there will be a variety of samplings at the Galley Store’s “Juice on the Neuse” Wine and Beer Festival including — “3” — a tribute wine by Childress to his friend Earnhardt from the Childress Vineyard.

On the web: mumfest.com

Sun Journal: July 14, 2013