Jerry Taylor (AKA FreeHugs) is a founding member of the Atlanta Jugglers Association. He has helped with the Groundhog Day Jugglers Festival since the first festival as Competition Timekeeper, Judges Wrangler, Workshops Instructor and other duties. Jerry now lives in Mobile AL but comes back each year to the annual festival in February.

For the last thirty years, Jerry Taylor (AKA "FreeHugs") has performed around the world as a drummer, juggler, clown and band leader. He directed the Middle Eastern Dance Festival (now called the Baraka Band), a troupe that includes five musicians and several dancers. In addition to his passion for performing, Jerry also enjoys teaching Middle Eastern drumming and juggling.

In Atlanta he performed for Coca-Cola, Turner Broadcasting, Microsoft, UPS and the Fernbank Natural History Center. Drawing on his formal training in painting and visual arts, Jerry's presentations emphasized colorful costumes and beautiful instruments.