Circus Near Me: Tickets & Schedule for 2024/2025 Events

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Circus Shows

A circus is a traveling group of performers, generally including acrobats, clowns, dancers, musicians, jugglers, and trained animals. The talents are exhibited in large tents called “big tops” and are a family-friendly affair.

Origins

While they have been prevalent since ancient Roman times, the circus as we know it today is attributed to the 1700s. Phillip Astley opened a horse-riding trick show in London in 1768. He was the creator of the current day concept of watching a performance in an amphitheater. 

It wasn’t until the end of the 1700s that the USA was introduced to circuses by John Riketts. His touring circus used “circus houses” for performances. Only in 1825 did John Purdy pioneer the idea of the tent.

They were far easier to continually travel with and set up. Soon after came P.T. Barnum and his “Barnum and Bailey Circus.” It was one of the largest and most famous traveling circuses at the time. He advertised it as “the Greatest Show on Earth,” and it truly embodied that claim. Alas, it shut down after 146 years in 2017.

Fun Fact: Jumbo, the “most enormous elephant ever seen,” was a part of the Barnum circus. The elephant became a topic of conversation across the globe and is the reason for attributing the word “jumbo” to mean large.

Today’s State of Affairs

Presently, the experience of going to a circus with the whole family, getting popcorn, staring at the animals, and looking at contortionists in awe is not the norm in our digital world.

There has been a dramatic reduction in the number of traveling circuses, considering that they were America’s favorite entertainment outlet. Although they may not be mainstream anymore, many circuses are still up and running across America.

Noteworthy Circuses 

The Cirque du Soleil shows are vastly popular and utterly widespread. They changed the paradigm of the traditional experience. Moreover, they dropped the animals and focused more on humans and art through theatrics, music, acrobatics, and stage sets. However, conventional circuses have their own charm and are loved by many. 

Billy Martin’s Cole All-Star Circus

The circus was established in 1938 by James Cole and then given to Billy Martin to run. It’s one of the oldest modern circuses today. Martin’s circus has jugglers, trapeze artists, and unicyclists. If you attend an event, you’ll see children with cotton candy sticks in their hands walking on red, blue, and yellow floors.

The all-star circus was originally in association with schools. As a result, the circus provided the talent while school children would provide the posters and music, and children even acted as stagehands. Even today, the circus venues are in school halls and gymnasiums. 

Tickets are available for their annual tour and numerous additional circus shows. Go get yours now!