Circus train arrives, unloads for midnight parade down Truxtun

THE BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN Tuesday, Aug 23 2011
There's no need to have your head checked if you saw elephants lumbering down Truxtun Avenue Monday night -- the circus is officially in town.
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Fully Charged circus will open Thursday under the big top of Rabobank Arena at 7:30 p.m. The circus show is in town through Sunday.
Horses, mini-horses and zebras were also unloaded from the train that brought some of the circus animals, which arrived from San Jose at about midnight.
The show's large exotic cats did not travel by train. They arrived by other ground transportation.
The parade to Rabobank took about 15 minutes.

High-flying, death-defying daredevils draw crowd at fair

Tina Winn, who performs as Galaxy Girl, hangs upside-down Tuesday as Johnny Rocket spins her around while riding a motorcycle on a suspended track 40 feet in the air at the Sandusky County Fair. Galaxy Girl and the motorcycle stunt men perform shows at 2, 4 and 7 p.m. daily at the fair. / Jonathon Bird/News-Messenger

Written by

Mark Tower, Staff writer

Aug. 24, 2011

FREMONT, OHIO -- Revving motorcycle engines were interspersed with gasps and thunderous applause during the Galaxy Girl daredevil show Tuesday at the Sandusky County Fair.

At the center of the spectacle was Tina Winn, also known as Galaxy Girl. Winn, whose family has worked with high-wire and trapeze acts for seven generations, said the work is difficult on the body and mind, but it's better than going every day to a desk job she would hate.

"We make it look fun, but it really is tough on you," she said. "I do it because I love it. Every day is a new challenge."

Members in the crowd shield their eyes from the sun while watching as Galaxy Girl does a handstand on top of a 127-foot swaying tower at the Sandusky County Fair. / Jonathon Bird/News-Messenger

"It's a little windy up there, mind you," fellow stunt man Johnny Rocket told a crowd gathered around the show near the Hayes Avenue entrance. He compared the height of the space needle to a 12-story building.

"Remember, I have absolutely no nets, no safety devices of any kind ... and no brains," Winn said, joking with the crowd while doing a record-setting handstand from a steering wheel-sized ring at the top of the needle.

Another stunt included dueling motorcycles racing around inside the "Globe of Death" and the "Cyber Cycle," where Winn, perched on a trapeze, spins at high speeds propelled by a motorcycle on a track 40 feet above the ground.

Onlookers young and old gasped as Winn first hung from the trapeze by only her legs, then performed the helicopter spin by supporting her body with only a loop around her neck.

McKenna Willis said she and her friends really enjoyed the show, but she would never consider doing the dangerous stunts the daredevils undertook.

"I thought she was going to fall," Willis said. "I like to stay on the ground."

Jeff Weickert described the performance simply as "awesome." His daughter, Melissa Weickert, said she needed to close her eyes while Winn was on top of the aerial space needle.

Winn, who spends time after each show talking with fans, said meeting people at fairs and other events is part of the fun.

"I get to meet lots of great people," she said.

Winn, a Sarasota, Fla., native, said she comes from a family of circus performers and was born into performing death-defying trapeze and high-wire stunts for a crowd. When she married into a family with an eight-generation history as motorcycle daredevils, her fate was sealed.

During the show, announcers touted Galaxy Girl as being responsible for numerous world records and being featured at county fairs across the country, Walt Disney World and Disneyland and other theme parks, She has opened for musical acts, including KISS.

Galaxy Girl and her partners host three shows daily at the Sandusky County Fair at 2, 4 and 7 p.m. Admission to the show is included in the $7 general admission tickets available at any entrance to the fairgrounds.

The Bello Nock Circus -
Pre-Sale MillsEntertainmentNY



Meet Bello Nock, Daredevil Clown

2010 International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo
eurbanista




The 2010 Festival du Cirque in Monte Carlo, filmed on Saturday, January 16 in the opening show of the festival. The song is Phoneme by Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9), which was recommended to me by www.cougarmicrobes.com. Thanks Boaz!

IT'S STATE FAIR TIME!

http://www.marylandstatefair.com/

http://www.nysfair.org/

Somerset County Fair PA off and running

Calvin Ott competes in the hot tractor pulls, 7,500 weight class, Saturday during the opening day of the Somerset County Fair. (Philip Petrunak)

PHILIP PETRUNAK Daily American Staff Writer

August 20, 2011

The Somerset County Fair got off to a great start Saturday with a huge crowd and beautiful weather.
The first day of the week-long celebration featured tractor pulls, a market goat judging and great food, among other attractions.
“It’s a packed house,” said Dave “Orlo” Weller, tractor pull organizer. “The crowd’s impressive for an opening day, considering the amusement rides aren’t set up yet.”
While the grandstands filled for the tractor pulls, the market goat show was drawing an impressive crowd of its own.
“It’s been a great show,” said organizer and fair board member Rachael Mostoller. “It seems to be growing and we’ve had a lot of wonderful kids out here today.”
The market goat grand champion trophy went to Forrest Ohler, 21, of Rockwood, and his goat Cassius.
“It’s a lot of hard work and it’s a family effort too,” Ohler said.
Forrest is the son of Scott and Lisa Ohler.
Mostoller said the event is made possible by the volunteers who put in countless hours throughout the week. Volunteers from Meyersdale ambulance and Meyersdale fire department were among those contributing their time to the opening day’s success.

The Circus is Coming to Roseville
Circus Vargas will pitch-tent Sept. 8-12 at the Westfield Galleria at Roseville.

from: rosevillepatch.com
August 21. 2011
Circus Vargas will be pitching up its blue and gold tent in Roseville soon. The circus is coming to town at the Westfield Galleria at Roseville Thursday, Sept. 8 through Monday, Sept. 12.

They'll be bringing their Big Top tent as seen in the book-turned-film "Water for Elephants" to Roseville for their new 2011 production. This edition of Circus Vargas takes you on an artistic journey, encompassing the cultures of the world, in a series of vignettes depicting the experiences, memories and visions of a traveling circus performer.
Circus-goers will go on a captivating jaunt across the globe, seen through the eyes of aerialists, acrobats, comedians and more, as they transcend language, age and cultural barriers. Thirty minutes before show time, fans will get a pre-show peek into the world of Circus Vargas, hosted by reality TV personality from the CBS show "The Amazing Race," Jon Weiss.
Prior to every show, Weiss will be front and center welcoming the audience and inviting children to take a "center stage" look at life under the Big Top. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the pre-show action, and to join Weiss as he guides them on a quick crash course in circus skill and stamina.

Educated entertainer wows with words and fire at Heritage DaysEric Scites trades opera for 18th century ‘magic’

NICK ADAMS/The Register-Mail.
Eric Scites of Faire Wynd’s Circus spits fire during Heritage Days at the Rendezvous campsite on Sunday. The circus features traveling performers who reenacted illusions popular during the 1740’s.
By CHARLIE GORNEY The Register-Mail
Posted Aug 21, 2011
GALESBURG — The Fire-King, also known as the Human Salamander, also known as Eric Scites of Pomeroy, Ohio, took the stage to spit fire and perform slight of hand tricks Sunday during the 17th annual Galesburg Heritage Days.
Scites’ show, which he said is meant to be historically accurate, is modeled after the early 18th century traveling entertainer, for to call himself a magician would have been illegal. Nevertheless, his joking, lighthearted tone came out on stage.“I’m a magician,” Scites yelled as he tried to lure in more audience members. “Come watch my hopes and dreams disappear!”
Scites said he strives to do everything that traveling entertainers would have done in the early 18th century, but he does it in a modern way so it can be appreciated.
The show was simple, yet entertaining. Everything Scites used (rope, a ring, cups, balls, small torches) could be easily fit into the average briefcase. He explained that traveling entertainers would use small items with which they could impress people and still travel light.
“The concept of a large, traveling circus is mostly a 20th century idea,” Scites said.
As a final historical tidbit, Scites said traveling entertainers, as a result of their travels, were generally more educated than the average person.
The 10 a.m. Sunday show focused on “misdirection,” or the practice of drawing the audience members’ attention away from the trick as it happens. Though he threw in some fire spitting and swallowing for a “wow” factor, his simpler tricks included tying knots with one hand and tying knots around a rope in midair.
Scites’ wife, Susan Scites, said after the show that this is their full-time job of about 17 years, and though they legally reside in Pomeroy, they rarely find time to make it home while performing in a different location each weekend.
“I got a useless college degree (in opera performance) and tried to make something of it, and this came to me,” Eric Scites said after the show. “It took off, and I had to run with it.”

Circus Smirkus wraps up 2011 tour

Greensboro, Vermont - August 21, 2011
Anson Tebbetts -
WCAX News
You know summer is coming to a close when the circus ends its run in Vermont. Sunday was the final day for Circus Smirkus performers. The youngsters perform all over New England for seven weeks each summer. And as tradition goes, they completed their run in Greensboro, the home base of the circus.

This year's theme took on the lighter side of journalism. "It was front page follies so it was news, newspapers, radio and that kind of stuff -- also in the 20's so a lot girls, reporters, newscasters," said Circus Smirkus member Brita Larson. "It's been really good this year. We had a new troupe this year so we were unsure on how it would all go and we have actually been told by quite a few people this is the best show they have ever seen."

And the show did go on -- right in the middle of a hail storm. Folks inside the tent didn't seem to notice what was happening outside the big top.

Pizarro: Laid-off San Jose cops get a night at the circus

By Sal Pizarro
08/19/2011
from: mercurynews.com
San Jose police officers who lost their jobs this summer because of the city's budget circus were invited by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey to bring their families to the real circus.
Thirteen of the laid-off cops and their families, adding up to 54 people, were guests of the circus at HP Pavilion on Thursday night. They received a special welcome from Ringmaster and San Jose native Brian Crawford Scott, who thanked them for their contributions to keeping the city safe.
The show, "Fully Charged," is in San Jose through Sunday, before moving on to the Cow Palace in Daly City (Sept. 1-5) and Oracle Arena in Oakland (Sept. 8-11).

IOWA STATE FAIR-LAST DAY

SUNDAY FUNNIES

THE WILSON'S

KIM SUE VALLA, TRUDY STRONG & JOANNE WILSON

JO ANNE WILSON
WILSON'S DOGS

DAY 10 - IOWA STATE FAIR 2011

Steuben County Fair, Bath NY

Circus returns to Addison for second year of thrills

Alex the Clown, a Carson and Barnes Circus favorite, will return to Addison’s annual big top event this year.

from: chicago daily herald

8/19/2011

By Megan Bannister.

Less than a week before students return to the halls of Indian Trail Junior High in Addison, a different group will be taking over the school.These newcomers, tough, aren’t preteens.They’re performers from the Carson and Barnes Circus, the “Biggest Big Top in North America,” presented by the Village of Addison.
“It gives adults a chance to act like a kid and go with their kids to see some of these animals up close that they would never get to see otherwise,” Mayor Larry Hartwig said.

Guests will be dazzled by the animals, performers and sideshows of the Carson and Barnes Circus when its members perform at Indian Prairie Junior High in Addison. The circus will perform seven shows opening today and continuing through Sunday.
Although the Shriners are no longer involved with the event, the Carson and Barnes Circus still promises to provide some jaw-dropping thrills and family fun.
“It worked out so well for everyone last year we decided to continue doing it,” Krage said.
Organizers urge those planning to attend the circus to purchase tickets in advance to ensure a seat.

The Carson and Barnes Circus will provide some high-flying thrills when it opens today.
“I really didn’t know what to expect last year and I just loved it,” Krage said.SuperSaver tickets are available before any of the seven shows for $10 each or $25 for two adults and three children. Tickets also may be purchased at the gate for $22 for adults and $10 for kids.
A prepaid ticket may be used at any of the seven shows, a change from last year’s event.
SuperSaver tickets also will be sold through a number of churches and service organizations from not only Addison but also Elmhurst, Bensenville and Wood Dale. A portion of the ticket price will then be donated back to the local group.
“They really, really do a fantastic show,” Krage said. “And there’s a lot to do before and after the show.”