The Josh Fruhlinger Experience

Do you live in Baltimore, or somewhere Baltimore-ish? What are you doing this Saturday afternoon? What’s that? Something boring and non-hula-hoop related? Well, we’ll fix that!

Fluid Movement, Baltimore’s #1 performance art group of random delight, is putting on its fourth annual Hoola-Hoop-A-Thon this Saturday, May 23, at St. John’s Church in Charles Village (2640 St. Paul St.). Fun starts at 1 p.m., but be there by 12:30 if you want to compete.

Oh, yes: it’s a competition! You will be judged in endurance (there’s a time cut-off; it’s not some endless Depression-style torture session for the amusement of the swells), travel (i.e. how far and fast you can walk/run while hooping), freestyle verve, and “challenge rounds” (I have no idea what this means, but it sounds scary/awesome). And one of the referees will be my lovely wife (pictured above)!

It should be pretty obvious at this point that this is going to be awesome and you should come. And bring your kids! (I was telling our new next-door neighbors about this and I mentioned that there were lots of kids there and then I felt weird for mentioning this. Would it be more appropriate to say “Feel free to bring gown-ups?”) You can bring your own hoop, rent or buy hoops there, or just watch the hypnotic, rhythmic twirling. $5 admission fee, or $10 to compete. There will be food, as well!