North Fork Loggers Jamboree

Local loggers and volunteers launched the Jamboree in 1959; longtime residents recall early parades down Main Street and competitions on the grounds that later became the Recreation Center. In the late 1950s–early 1960s, the event and a related North Fork Festival were organized to support the newly formed North Fork Boosters Club and to help fund the Recreation Center. The Jamboree has continued on the weekend following the U.S. Independence Day weekend for over sixty years. == Format and activities ==

Competition spans two days: an Amateur/Pro-Am program on Saturday and a Professional program on Sunday. Pro-Am teams pair one experienced competitor with one amateur; most events are timed, with points determining winners. == Events and competitions ==

The Jamboree showcases traditional logging skills, including: • Axe throw — contestants throw a double-bit axe at a wood round; a shaken beer can in the bullseye famously bursts on a perfect hit. and hot saw (high-power modified chainsaws). Women compete in dedicated events (e.g. Ladies’ axe throw and Ladies’ power saw) and in co-ed contests; organizers and local media emphasize the event’s role in celebrating North Fork’s logging heritage. == Notable competitors ==

competing in the axe throw at the North Fork Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, 2025. North Fork native Nate Hodges is a multiple-time All-Around (Top Logger) champion at the Jamboree—recorded with at least 11 by 2019—and later became the 2024 STIHL Timbersports Individual World Champion. == Cultural impact ==

Regional outlets describe the Jamboree as a “great event that celebrates North Fork’s heritage and what was the way of life here for so many years,” and a homecoming-style festival that preserves logging culture while engaging new generations of competitors and volunteers. == See also ==