Circus eliminates exotic animal acts
The Shrine Circus has added several new acts including a BMX performance.
from---edmontonctnews.ca
Chandra Lye, CTV Edmonton
Published Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 
The Shrine Circus is back in town but some of its animals are not.

Officials said logistical problems and expenses prompted them to ditch several of its more exotic attractions.

“Bringing the animals from the United States is quarantine problems," circus chairman Bob Cameron told CTV Edmonton.

"The other one is to bring them from Ontario and cost-wise it's not effective for us to do it that way."

Animal rights activists said they were thrilled with the decision.

“We have been campaigning for an end to the use of wild animals for over 20 years," Voice for Animals Human Society’s Tove Reece said.

Reece called the move a big step forward.

“It's a victory for the animals that are less and less going to be used in this kind of abusive, exploitative kind of entertainment.”

“More and more circuses are doing away with wild animals,” she added.

Cameron said it was unlikely the animals would be coming back.

“I would expect that this is probably going to be our policy from following years.”

The circus has added several new acts including a BMX show and human cannon.

Read more: http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/circus-eliminates-exotic-animal-acts-1.995502#ixzz29McTJApm


 

Yesteryears: Flea circus scratched surface of tiny entertainment
from--dailyprogress.com
By: David Maurer | Daily Progress
Published: October 14, 2012
Entertainment extremes were likely the subject of any number of casual conversations around Charlottesville in October 1935.

There was the humongous finback whale that was displayed for a few days in a railroad car parked on a sidetrack near the Southern Freight Depot on Main Street. At the other end of the scale of size was Professor W.E. Alexander’s Flea Circus.

For a flea fee, one could edge up to the glass-enclosed little top and watch the peewee performers do a variety of things. The professor extolled the fleas’ talents for riding bicycles and pulling chariots and sulkies. The little buggers also would ride a tiny carousel, do a little soft shoe and kick food balls around.

Alexander and his palace of pests were carrying on a long show business tradition.

It's widely believed the first folks to harness fleas were 16th-century watchmakers. History tells us that in 1578, Mark Scaliot created a lock and chain so small a flea was able to pull it.

This might have sparked others to see what else fleas could do. Contrary to Alexander’s advertisement that claimed his fleas “were trained,” they were not.
read more---
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/lifestyles/2012/oct/14/yesteryears-flea-circus-scratched-surface-tiny-ent-ar-2276446/

Meet the One Handed Juggler at the State Fair

from: wltx.com

Oct 14, 2012

Columbia, SC---

read more--

http://www.wltx.com/news/article/205510/2/Meet-the-One-Handed-Juggler-at-the-State-Fair-

COLE BROS

Cole Bros. Circus headed to Slidell after settling lawsuit

 

Cole Bros. Circus
A performer and elephant entertain the crowd with the Cole Bros. Circus. (Photo Courtesy of Cole Bros. Circus)
from---thedttammanynewa.com
By David Freese St. Tammany News
Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2012
Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars, whose organization recently settled in a lawsuit with an animal right’s group over alleged animal welfare violations, will host a circus event in the city of Slidell Oct. 17-18.
Florida based Cole Bros. Circus Inc. was given a court order to pay $15,000, made payable through the United States Treasurer on or before Dec. 31, after the circus settled a suit filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or better known as PETA.
“Animal rights organizations such as PETA do this on a regular basis. It just stems from their philosophy,” said Cole. Bros. Vice President of Administration Renee Storey when reached by phone Thursday. “It’s rather interesting that the majority of the public shares this opinion.”
“It’s animal rights philosophy versus animal welfare philosophy,” added Storey, who also said that Cole Bros. settled “with no findings of the violations.”
read more---
http://www.thesttammanynews.com/news/article_f3d1b560-1549-11e2-89d1-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=story
 

JUGGLER

One man, many tricks


Matthew Hazlett/ The Towerlight
By Thomas Martinson, Contributing Writer
from--- thetowerlight.com
14 October 2012
Towson, MD---When one goes into a magic or variety show, sometimes he or she might feel the magician is no more than a one trick pony, but “One Man Show” Christopher Ruggiero was quick to dispel that notion in Paws Friday, Oct. 12.
He can juggle three balls, five clubs and three knives while standing up and can balance on a large exercise ball or on a six-foot unicycle.

 

Matthew Hazlett/ The Towerlight
He can juggle three balls, five clubs and three knives while standing up and can balance on a large exercise ball or on a six-foot unicycle.

The Pennsylvania State University graduate said he has had to perfect his craft for over four years. His work started at a young age when his father taught him how to juggle. But it wasn’t until his after graduating college he explored his craft further.

Ruggerio said now he is trying to incorporate vintage Vaudeville style into his show.

“I’ve always been attracted to the circus life starting out as a child,” Ruggiero said. “I like the originators, Tommy Copper and Steven Lauren. Their style, their way is something I like to include in my act.”
read more---
http://www.thetowerlight.com/2012/10/one-man-many-tricks/

Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars 

When: 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19-21, 1:30 p.m. Oct. 20-21, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19-20.

There are animals, aerialists, clowns and more under the big top. Visit www.gotothecircus.com for details. Tickets $21 general admission, $16 children.
Zephyr Field
6000 Airline Drive, Metairie, New Orleans

Home of the carousel preserves, expands its legacy
Volunteers at the Herschell museum lovingly restore painted carousel horses, ‘modern’ kiddie rides, to their former glory

 

by Michelle Kearns
from-- buffalonews.com
10/14/2012
NORTH TONAWANDA – Just past the gift shop and through doors that swing open like a saloon entrance, there is a work- room strewn with tools. A small crew of men in their 70s and 80s gathers there to joke, build and paint the things that are slowly bringing Allan Herschell’s old carousel factory back to life as a museum.
“This was brand-new when I started,” said Mel Brundage, 76, looking down at his apron, gray with paint splatters. “I look like Leonardo da Vinci.”
 The splatters are from his 14 years as a volunteer, coming on Mondays and Fridays, repairing windows and the platforms that hold the horses frozen midgallop and the rest of the saddled menagerie of zebra, ostrich, rooster, frog and others. When done, they will be ready to ride and admire at the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum.
Here, where volunteers often outnumber visitors, the place has a languid, undiscovered air. Brundage and the gang worked together measuring wood and adjusting – “Glue! Glue! Glue!” – as a wall panel came together for a pavilion to go with the four newly renovated Kiddieland rides from the factory’s postwar baby boom era, when merry-go-rounds were considered passé.
By next summer, little kid-size fire trucks, horse-drawn chariots, helicopters that lift in the air and boats with bells to ring as they float will be assembled and open for business on the side yard, like a red, yellow, blue and green carnival garden.
By then, museum director Rae Proefrock hopes, the fun will be more obvious. Maybe, finally, more people will come.
With a yearly attendance of about 12,000 visitors, numbers at the 30-year-old museum are low. “I’d like to get it to 30,000,” she said.
read more---
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121014/CITYANDREGION/121019707/1003
 

BIG APPLE CIRCUS 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridgeville keeps it sizzling all day
Slice after slice, crowd scoops up scrapple

 

Cecelia Evans of Federalsburg (left) and Nancy Ricketts of Bridgeville keep up with demand at the Bridgeville Charge concession stand.

 WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS JOURNAL 
from---wilmingtonnewsjournal.del
By James Fisher
The News Journal
BRIDGEVILLE — Apples get the glory at the Apple Scrapple Festival, but scrapple does the work.

The town-wide festival held the sec­ond weekend in October draws an esti­mated 25,000 or so visitors over two days. It was created 20 years ago to cele­brate apple fields around town and the RAPA scrapple plant that produces Bridgeville’s most famous product – scrapple, the dense, gristly processed meat made from the livers, snouts, hearts, and fat of pigs, with spices, corn­meal and flour mixed in.

Apples shone in the spotlight on Fri­day, when the T.S. Smith & Sons farm sponsored an apple dessert contest. Garrett Briggs, 10, of Greenwood won the youth competition with a ricotta ap­ple pie, and Lia Workman of Millsboro brought an apple cinnamon cheesecake that triumphed in the adult category. Apple walnut muffins from a general store on Tilghman Island, Md., won in the professional class, with all the win­ners honored on an outdoor stage Friday afternoon.
All the while, workmanlike scrapple was being readied for a hungry popu­lace. On Thursday night, volunteers with the Bridgeville Senior Center spent hours slicing up scrapple by hand for use in a food tent. Dixie Semans, the senior center’s kitchen manager, said her crew of volunteer cooks came to the festival with enough scrapple and white bread for 10,000 sandwiches.

“We’ll use up everything,” she said Saturday as a formidable line of people gathered to by $5 sandwiches. “We’ll stay here until it’s all sold.”

Often eaten for breakfast, in a sand­wich or on a plate with eggs or pancakes,

Crowds fill the streets of downtown Bridgeville during the Bridgeville Apple Scrapple Festival Saturday. WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS

 

WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS JOURNAL

Sherwood Amusements Midway

WILLIAM BRETZGER/THE NEWS JOURNAL

Crafts, refreshments and other attractions bring crowds to one of the streets lined with vendors.

"YUM, YUM, YUM"

"IT'S SOOOO GOOD IN YOUR TUMMY!"



 

FROM FRED HOFFMAN---
L.E. BARNES CIRCUS
MAY 15, 2001
TREXLERTOWN, PA


Dick--
Photos enclosed of the 2001 L. E. Barnes Circus
Thanks to Dave Hoover and his "Angel". This was the finest new circus to come out in years. Built from the ground up!
Myself and Bill Elbirn booked some dates in South Eastern Pa. and South Jersey.
They had a high nut and most of their dates they barely broke even.
Too Bad it was such a great show and performance.
But they did keep it going til 9/11.
Ward Hall and Little Pete were visiting in Allentown.
Hope you and your readers enjoy these.
Fred Hoffman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to be continued---

 

Big Apple Circus Presents LEGENDARIUM in Lincoln Center, NY

Published on Oct 1, 2012 by BigAppleCircusOrg

BIG APPLE CIRCUS TV commercial for LEGENDARIUM in Lincoln Center, NY.

LEWIS AND CLARK CIRCUS
JACKSON, TN.
October 8, 2012
from The Jackson Sun
All Photos by Hatie Cooper


The Lewis & Clark Circus performed and featured continuous action at the V.F.W. Post 6496 grounds sponsered by V.F.W. Post 6469 and V.F.W. Ladies Auxillary, Monday, October 8, 2012.

A performer tossed around a ring of fire at the Lewis & Clark Circus at the V.F.W. Post 6496, Monday, October 8, 2012.
 

A goat walks across a balance beam at the Lewis & Clark Circus at the V.F.W. Post 6496, Monday, October 8, 2012.
 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Cheetah Attacks Boy After Circus Performance
14 October 2012
The Moscow Times
A cheetah performing with a traveling circus in the Moscow region town of Domodedovo attacked the 7-year-old son of two circus performers over the weekend, after which the boy was hospitalized in critical condition.

As of midday Sunday, the young victim had been transported to a Moscow hospital and remained in intensive care, RIA-Novosti reported. The cheetah severed an artery in the boy's neck, damaged several internal organs and wounded his spinal cord.

Doctors have operated on the boy once and may do so again.

The attack took place Saturday evening, when circus staff were readying the agile predator for transportation, Interfax reported, adding that the 10-year-old female cheetah pounced on the boy before the animal could be restrained.

The same day, investigators said in a statement on their website that they would run a check into the incident to discover whether those responsible for the animal and the safety of its handlers had acted appropriately.

It was not immediately clear which circus the cheetah belonged to, and some news reports said a leopard had attacked the boy

Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/cheetah-attacks-boy-after-circus-performance/469707.html#ixzz29H6TYkzL
 The Moscow Times 

Zoppe brings Italian circus to Redwood City

 

Photo by Justin Miel
from---smdailyjournal.com
By Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal Staff 
October 13, 2012
Running off with the circus wasn’t something Giovanni Zoppé’s parents ever worried about.
Why would they? The circus was a family gig.
Zoppé was first introduced to the audience as a newborn by his father. From an early age, Zoppé remembers being around the show. Often he was wandering rather than being a scripted performer. That changed at about 10 years old. Since then, he’s been in the ring for every show. It’s his life.
“People need to know what [the circus] is really about. Circus is theater,” he said.
The family act travels inviting each location to join the family fun. From Oct. 12 through Oct. 26, Zoppé, An Italian Family Circus, will return to downtown Redwood City with both matinee and evening shows. For Zoppé, Redwood City is a special part of the traveling show. His son was born in Redwood City three years ago. Now the little one, like Zoppé as a child, enjoys being part of the show.
“He’s teaching me what’s pure and real,” Zoppé said of his son.
The hope is to continue to provide an experience that matches what a circus is like in a child’s imagination, he said.
read more---
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=1756368&title=Zopp%C3%A9%20brings%20Italian%20circus%20to%20Redwood%20City

Councilors: It’s Act II for circus, pet sale
from---rrobserver.com
BY ARGEN DUNCAN,Observer staff writer
Sunday, October 14, 2012

Despite protests from animal welfare advocates, ordinance amendments to lift a ban on dog and cat sales and to decrease restrictions on animal exhibitions in Rio Rancho took a step toward being enacted Wednesday night.

The Rio Rancho Governing Body voted 4-2 to pass a first reading of the amendments at its meeting at City Hall. The amendments must pass a second reading Oct. 24 to become law.
Councilors Mark Scott, Tim Crum, Lonnie Clayton and Chuck Wilkins voted for the eased restrictions, while councilors Patricia Thomas and Tamara Gutierrez opposed them.

Mayor Tom Swisstack had proposed a change to require dog sterilization unless owners obtained an unaltered dog permit. That requirement already exists for cats.
Crum didn’t want the dog sterilization mandate, but no one else opposed the rule.
Also, Crum had asked to remove the ban on pet stores selling cats and dogs.

Rio Rancho resident Tom Defeo said pet stores rely on puppy and kitten mills, which keep breeding mothers in miserable conditions. He said no responsible breeder would sell to a pet store.

“Approve this ordinance and you’ll surely be contributing to a puppy mill or a kitty mill somewhere,” Defeo said.

Albuquerque resident Sherry Mangold said she worked for the attorney general’s office for a few years and received 28 calls about sub-standard living conditions and sickness, injury or death in pets from Rio Rancho pet stores.

From another view, Rio Rancho veterinarian George Abernathy said since the ban had started to take effect, he’d seen less respiratory disease but more parvo, which is more deadly. If the city bans sales of dogs and cats, Abernathy said, people just get them elsewhere.

“I think the animals would be healthier if the city regulates (pet store dog and cat sales),” he said.

Crum said he didn’t ask for the removal of the ban to increase gross receipts tax revenue, as some speakers suggested, but because of individual rights. He said he didn’t think it was fair to use a “broad-brush policy” against pet stores and breeders.
“I assure you this, I’m not on the side of cruelty, ever,” he said.
read more---
http://www.rrobserver.com/news/local/article_0cb3b640-14b5-11e2-8982-0019bb2963f4.html

PERRIS: Last weekend for the Southern California Fair

 

David Summer, 4, tries to maintain his balance as he crawls around inside a large plastic bubble in the Walk on Water booth at the Southern California Fair at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds on Saturday.
 DON BOOMER | dboomer@nctimes.com
from---nctimes.com
By LOUISE ESOLA For The Californian
Oct 14, 2012
For Southern Californians, Sunday is the last day for that spin on the Ferris wheel, that handful of fresh and buttery kettle-popped corn, or the delicacy of a bacon-wrapped hot dog.
The Southern California Fair, taking place now at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, is the last of the region's fairs this year. It's also, according to one organizer, the most affordable, with a hometown atmosphere unmatched at larger fairs that took place over the summer.

"Our prices are definitely about one-half to one-third of what you will spend in San Diego or Los Angeles," said Gael Scott, fairgrounds chief executive officer. "Plus, we have that small-town feel that is lost in other venues."

On Saturday, people lined up to enter the fair at 11 a.m. The rich aroma of smoked and barbecued meats, roasted corn on the cob and sticky cotton candy filled the air.

"We come here because it's low-key," said Red Kepley of Nuevo, accompanied by his grandson Hunter Swift. "You don't seem like you're surrounded by 100,000 people, and it's more family-friendly."

Hunter said he was looking forward to rides and food, and that he likes the shorter lines.

"Definitely easier," the boy said.

Donna Sylvester of Hemet said she likes being able to take in the fair in one day. "Other places, you need two days to see everything."

But the Southern California Fair, with glittery amusement rides spotted just minutes from Interstate 215, is no small affair. Scott said the fair takes over about 70 of the fairgrounds' 108 acres. It had everything a fairgoer would want: tasty food, kiddie rides, games, prizes, retail booths, a livestock show and auction, and sights ranging from a teeny-tiny horse to a giant steer.
read more---
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/swcounty/perris-last-weekend-for-the-southern-california-fair/article_11615b1b-769c-5670-8493-046efe01a1ac.html

 

 

State fair beginning 18-day run in Phoenix

By Alexis Vance, FOX 10 News

Oct 12, 2012

FOX 10 News - Phoenix, AZ | KSAZ-TV