Frog Jump
The 64th Annual Frog Jump will be on Sunday, July 20, 2025
WELCOME TO THE FROG JUMP CAPITAL OF OHIO!
Jump Day
Food & Beverages
We do ask that you not bring in food and beverages.
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 (It’s Not a Race)
The Valley City Frog Jump Festival is held every summer in July at Mill Stream Park in Valley City, Ohio.
Some folks ask, “Do ya’ line up the frogs and race them, or how does the Jump work?”
It’s not a race. Each frog jumps one at a time. Here’s how it works. First, we have the jumping ring. We lay a parachute in the jumping ring. The parachute is important because it provides a consistent starting point for all the contestants, making it easy to measure the jumping distance of each frog.
We group the contestants, or jockeys as we call them, into 20 jockeys per flight.
The jockey will jump his or her frog one at a time by walking to the middle of the parachute and placing the frog in the middle. The middle is marked with a green circle. When the frog jumps, its distance is measured from the starting point in the green circle to the point where the frog lands after it jumps three times. The longest jump in the flight will be declared the flight winner!
The festival typically has 37 flights, so that’s 740 jumps with a corresponding 37 flight winners. The winner of each flight will participate in a Championship Jump Off! The winner of that jump-off will be declared “The Grand Champion!” We will also name the reserve champion for second place. We will award the jockey whose frog jumped the furthest for the day with an award for the longest jump. Also, each flight winner is awarded a trophy!
Now you know how the Frog Jump works, and we hope to see you at Mill Stream Park for the next Frog Jump Festival.
How to Register
When you register to jump a frog(s), you’ll be assigned to a ‘flight.’ Each flight contains 20 jumps. We typically have 37 flights. You’re welcome to register for multiple jumps as long as there are two flights between each of your jumps. This gives you ample time to jump your frog, leave the ring area, return to the bullpen, and queue up again for more excitement. For example, if you jump in Flight 7, you’ll be ready for another jump in Flight 10, then again in Flight 13, and so on. The more jumps, the more fun!
You can register in advance online or at the festival. Online registration typically opens one month prior to the date of the event. Even if you register online before the festival, you must check in at the online check-in tent on the festival day. You will receive specific check-in instructions when you register online. Please continue to check back for more details closer to the event.
To Register at the Event
- Go to the registration area (located near the jumping ring). Look for the large green “Registration” feather flag. Registration opens at 9:00 AM.
- Once you’ve secured your jump(s), keep an ear out for your flight(s) to be called. Then, head to the bullpen (marked by a large red ‘Bullpen’ flag), where a friendly volunteer will assist you.
- Don’t worry if you don’t have your own frog to jump-we’ve got you covered. You can rent a frog either during the online registration process or when you register at the event. The registration fee is $5.00, and the frog rental is an additional $5.00.
Sponsorships
Your business or family unit can sponsor a Flight, or become a corporate sponsor, by clicking here.
Where & When
The Festival will be Sunday, July 20, 2025.
The event is held at Liverpool Mill Stream Park, located on the northeast side of the Valley City Business District. It is on the shores of the Rocky River, which makes this site very attractive. 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. 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 of 303. Turn north on Maple Street (at the Fire Station) and follow signs to Mill Stream Park.
Parking and Admission are free. Please, no outside food permitted.
Food is available throughout the day beginning mid-morning. Rides, games, vendors and other festivities pick up in earnest around noon.
Frog Jumping Statistics & Past Winners
The longest jump we have record of is 19’ 1″, back in 1988!
Year |
Longest Jump |
Flight Winner’s Average |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 18′ 4″ | 13′ 6″ |
| 2002 | 18′ 3″ | 13′ 5″ |
| 2003 | 15′ 8.5″ | 12′ 6.5″ |
| 2004 | 15′ 8.5″ | 12′ 0″ |
| 2005 | 16′ | 12′ 5″ |
| 2006 | 15′ 10″ | 11′ 8.5″ |
| 2007 | 17′ 10″ | 13′ |
| 2008 | 14′ 10″ | 10′ 10″ |
| 2010 | 15′ 10.5″ | 12′ 3″ |
| 2011 | 13′ 7.5″ | 11′ 8″ |
| 2012 | 13′ 9.5″ | 11′ 2″ |
| 2013 | 16′ 8″ | 12′ 1″ |
| 2014 | 17′ 0″ | 12′ 6″ |
| 2015 | 15′ 8″ | 12′ 0″ |
| 2016 | 17′ 7″ | 11′ 8″ |
Frog Catching 101
If you are new to frog catching, do not worry, here is what you need to know. Have fun!
Equipment Needed
- Flashlight with fresh batteries
- A net (optional but helpful)
- Burlap bag
- Bug spray
- Wear old sneakers or work boots
How Do I Catch a Frog?
- It must be dark outside.
- Shine a flashlight at the frog.
- The light will cause the frog to “freeze” for a moment. When he does, carefully scoop him up with your net, or pick him up with your hand.
- Take the frog from the net and place him in the burlap bag. Ensure that the bag has been dipped in pond water to keep the frog comfortable. Never use tap water; frogs do not like chlorine.
Why a Net?
A regular fishing net does not work. The openings in a standard fishing net are too big to contain frogs, and even a big frog can escape through the netting. We recommend removing the netting from a standard fishing net frame and replacing it with a netted laundry bag. You can use heavy-gauge string, thin wire, or zip ties to secure the laundry bag to the net frame.
Groups of three people are the most effective. All three will catch frogs. When one is caught, one person moves the frog from the net to the burlap bag, someone else holds a flashlight, and a third person holds the burlap bag.
Our Concern for Frogs
Most importantly, have fun!
All About Frogs
Antiquity
Frogs and Toads
Kinds of Frogs
Two other frogs worth mentioning are the pickerel and leopard frogs. Pickerel frogs are raised in northern states in captivity. Leopard frogs, commonly known as pasture frogs, are very good jumpers.
Rana or Ranidae bullfrogs are the most common in Ohio. They are easily recognizable, with a greenish-brown hue on their backs and creamy-colored stomachs.
Male or Female?
Reproduction
Frogs are known to be highly territorial during mating season. When a male frog encounters another male, they engage in a fight, which sometimes can lead to death. When a female frog is ready to lay eggs, the male frog attaches to her back. The female lays her eggs in the reeds or grass near the pond, and the male bullfrog releases his sperm to fertilize them.
After being laid, the eggs will take around two to three weeks to hatch. The eggs will be enclosed in a jelly-like membrane, providing food for the developing embryo. Once hatched, the tadpole will have gills and a tail. In the case of the bullfrog, the tadpole will have two small legs where the body and tail meet but no front legs. The tadpole will continue to grow through a process called metamorphosis, which usually takes around two years for the American Bullfrog. During this process, the tadpoles can grow up to 3-4 inches long, using their gills to take in oxygen from the water. As tadpoles develop, their gills close, and they grow tiny legs. During this transformation, they stop eating and rely on their tails for sustenance, causing their tails to shrink. Before their gills fully close, their lungs begin to develop. Additionally, tadpoles grow a system on their skin that enables them to extract oxygen from water. This allows them to breathe in two ways: by taking in air on land and using their skin to extract oxygen underwater or hibernating. This double process of respiration gives them a better chance of survival.
Diet
A frog’s tongue is quite long and attached to the front of its mouth and lower jaw. When a moth, bug, or grasshopper comes by, the frog remains still and flicks out its tongue. The tongue is coated with a sticky substance that helps the frog catch its prey easily. The frog then pulls the prey back into its mouth without much effort.
Frog Jump Founders
In 1962, a group of residents was planning the Sesquicentennial (150th) Celebration of Liverpool Township (Valley City). They wanted to add an event for children. Andy Neff explained Mark Twain’s famous story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” and suggested they stage a frog jump. Duane Naftzger liked the idea, so a tradition began.
Before the first Jump could occur, Jay Reynolds caught frogs for folks to use. The Valley City Frog Jump was started to serve the interests of children of all ages.
Valley City is known as the Frog Jump Capital of Ohio!
Frog Jump History
(This history written by Duane Naftzger)
Many people throughout the nation and the world know that Mark Twain, world famous author who wrote “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” (why not finish this site before you follow the link to another site and read the story?), started it all in a California gold mining era setting. Still, the question asked many times each year as the Valley City event gets closer is, ‘How in the world did the popular frog jumping contests ever get started in the small rural community of Valley City?’ The question carries a simple answer. The origin of the event started during preparations for the Liverpool Township’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1962. Duane Naftzger, the general chairman of the event, and Andrew Neff, the historian, were reportedly discussing the program while enjoying a double sarsaparilla at a local Liverpool oasis. They were striving to come up with some local entertainment, especially something for the children, to be included in the 150th anniversary program. The idea of staging a frog jumping contest came up, and it was agreed to hold one during the big mid-summer community celebration.
That first Valley City Frog Jump was held on July 21 and 22, 1962, at a local farm on Myrtle Hill Road. Threshing, a pony pull, a horse pull and an entertainment group called the “Backskinners” helped celebrate the Valley City Sesquicentennial. Some 7500 attendees were reported by the Elyria Chronicle Telegraph. The late Al Thomas covered the event for The Medina County Gazette and wrote, “Not only did the entry list soar to 132, but the audience area had to be roped off on Sunday.” That first event in 1962 was the beginning of the current annual contests.
To keep the event going each year, the Valley City Progress Association was formed as temporary sponsor until a permanent sponsor could be developed. That group promoted the event until 1967 when the Valley City Chamber of Commerce started sponsoring it and continued for many years. In 2016 the baton was passed to a new organization founded in large part to handle the Frog Jump, The Valley City Community Group.
On April 2, 1964, then Governor James A. Rhodes of Ohio issued a proclamation designating the frog jumping contests as the official Ohio State championship contests.
In 1969 several Valley City Frogs were shipped to Calaveras County, California, to compete in their contest. One was Gov. Rhodes’ frog, named “Leaping Ohio”.
The event continued to be held at the farm for several years, then moved to Mack’s Lazy T Ranch, then to downtown Valley City, and in 1969 returned to the Lazy T Ranch. In 2001 the Jump inaugurated the new Liverpool Mill Stream Park near Valley City town center. It enjoys a bucolic view of the Rocky River and a level ground which lets all events be within view. Hopefully this will be a long term home for the event.
Parachute jumpers brought in frogs in 1968 and 69. In ‘68 one of the jumpers landed on the fire station roof in downtown Valley City. The frog was okay.
Many strange and interesting stories have grown up around the Frog Jump. Separating fact from fiction is sometimes difficult to do. But the following tale has been around long enough to carry some elements of truth:
It seems that one local individual trained his frog to jump whenever the individual whistled. This was at the time when Louis Seltzer, the late editor of the old Cleveland Press, wanted the Valley City group to come to Cleveland and tell him about the frog jumping event. So the group headed downtown for the Cleveland Press. The individual carried the frog on his lap with a derby hat over it. While going down Euclid Avenue a young lady with the kind of legs that set off a mini skirt came by, and the frog owner emitted a low whistle. Of course the frog jumped as trained, but unfortunately out of the open car window and onto Euclid Avenue. A CTS bus came by just then and that was the end of the well trained frog.
Perhaps best of all about the Frog Jumps is that they have become associated with a community of progress. The group must have envisioned such a community when it took on the name of the Valley City Community Progress Association back in 1963. The word “Progress” is now used many times in community promotions and businesses, and does reflect our community.