CIRCO HERMANO VAZQUEZ--2010 PREVIEW

BIG APPLE WASHINGTON, DC

BIG APPLE CIRCUS

Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 and 4:30,

Wednesday at 11 and 7, Thursday at 7, through March 27.

After an absence of nine seasons, Bello the clown rejoins the circus for the new show "Bello Is Back!"

Clown Grandma, the Big Apple Circus Band, ringmaster Kevin Venardos, acrobats from Italy, Russian trampoline and flying trapeze artists, horses, canines, Chinese contortionists and a juggler join Bello. Dulles Town Center, Routes 7 and 28, Dulles. 800-922-3772. http://www.bigapplecircus.org. $15-$52.
from the Washington Post

Kangaroo Boxing Upsets Animal Rights Activists

Published : Friday, 05 Mar 2010, 2:56 PM EST
Chelsea White
(Daily Telegraph of Sydney) - A boxing kangaroo – complete with striped shorts and boxing gloves – who has been trading jabs with his clownsuit-wearing owner in a Texas ring has PETA ready to throw a few punches itself, The Daily Telegraph of Sydney reported in its Saturday edition.
The scene of the marsupial vs. man match is BorderFest in Hidalgo, Texas, billed as a celebration of all things Australian.
In one corner is Rocky the kangaroo (or occasionally another of his brethren), dressed to brawl in knee-length shorts and with a rope tied around his chest.
In the other corner is his owner, Javier Martinez, who wears a clownsuit.
Martinez and Rocky race around the ring, trading shoves and jabs. If Rocky gets too enthusiastic, Martinez’ wife, Sandra, restrains him via a tether attached to the harness around his chest.
On Friday, Martinez defended his act. "You cannot force a kangaroo to do nothing," he said. "(Kangaroos) only do what they want to do so we don't make them work, you work around them."
But the animal rights group PETA wants them both out of the ring.
PETA's Asia-Pacific senior campaigner Ashley Fruno Friday called for a boycott of kangaroo acts. "Being forced to participate in these tawdry shows is cruel and can cost kangaroos their lives," Fruno said.

COLE ALL STAR CIRCUS COMES TO RED CREEK

(CLICK TO ENLARGE PICTURES)

(Fotos from a blog by Priscilla Kibble)

FROM DAVID P. ORR

Press Release: Adam Forepaugh-Barry Lubin Tent : April 12-18, 2010

"Circus Week Altoona"

Thanks to Paul Ingrassia's generous donation of a circus scrapbook that he purchased at the Sarasota SHOWFOLKS Tent Auction Wednesday evening.

Sections from the scrapbook are For Sale.

A small sample of these items. PLUS many other items. Newspaper Ads: Excellent Condition

A. March 27, 1922 RBBB Madison Square Garden " The Show of 10000 Wonders "

B. Aug., 28, 1930 Downie Bros. Big 3 Ring Wild Animal Circus

C. Aug., 30, 1901 Buffalo Bill Wild West "The One Big Show" - Grand Street Cavalcade - D. June 2, 1890 Adam Forepaugh's Great All-Feature Show and Wild West Combined E. May 22, 1915 Robinson's Famous Shows Combined "Special Trains of Palace Cars" F. Sept., 8/9 1876 P. T. Barnum NEW and "Greatest Show on Earth" Is Coming. (Fantastic Ad)

G. May 9 1911 HOWES Great London " Grand FREE street Parade" "Royal YEDDO Japanese Troupe"

The above and many other circus items will be available ONLY during " Circus Week Registration" at the COMFORT INN on Fri., April 16 & Sat., April 17th.

All monies received will go toward sponsorship for Hanneford Circus Cookhouse Performers Sat. 17th at the 71st JAFFA SHRINE CIRCUS produced by Struppi Hanneford. Registration DEADLINE: "Circus Week Altoona" March 29, 2010. Info: dpowhitetiger@aol.com circusfans.org White Tops

QUOTE OF THE DAY---FROM BOB COX

"You can do what you have to do, and sometimes you can do it even better than you think you can."

UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS HISTORY

MAXIMUS GARCIA AT 4 YRS OLD

BRANSON, MO--BLAKE & ANGELA

CIRCUS VARGAS 2010

The Circus is in town at the Westfield Mall Grab the kids

Family Fun

Circus Vargas one of America’s favorite big top circuses, is playing at the Westfield Palm Desert, Hwy. 111 at Monterey Ave., through Sunday, Jan. 31.
The California-based Circus Vargas is presenting an entirely new production for 2010 – once again stressing fun family entertainment, starring performers from all over the world.
Families will be pleased to see a completely new show with the new look of Circus Vargas. Performing under a brand new big top tent, the show has a complete set of new performers and acts since last time the show was in town. The show features aerial displays, acrobats and a variety of circus performers with a emphasis on fun and laughter, without losing any of the death-defying feats that people love to see.

Thirty minutes before show time, fans will get an exciting pre-show peek into the world of Circus Vargas, hosted by reality TV personality Jon Weiss from the CBS show “The Amazing Race.” Prior to every show, Jon 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 Jon as he guides them on a quick crash course in circus skill and stamina!
Remaining showtimes are Thursday and Friday, Jan. 28 and 29, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 30 and 31, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets ($15 to $55) are on sale by phone at (877) 468-3861), online at www.circusvargas.org, and at the circus box office.

CIRCUS VARGAS 2010 (SAN DIEGO.COM)

Circus Vargas: Family entertainment.
San Diego Family and ChildrenCircus Vargas: Kids Welcome

Read these tips getting the most out of a big top adventure

By Jolene KearnsSan Diego.com

This year, with it’s 41st season is under way, California-based Circus Vargas delivers once again on its promise to be fun and exciting family entertainment. With a wide variety of acts, lights and modern music, children won’t have time to get bored or restless. Kids will inevitably find their favorite recurring entertainer in Matty the Clown, who moves the show along with his whistle, energy and kooky humor. The only sad point of the day might be if your kids don’t get picked in one of his audience participation bits. If you're taking the kids to the circus as part of the entertainment budget this spring, check out these tips before going:
Do Celebrate. If you can come on a birthday, the circus will move the spotlight to your kid and wish them a happy day under their brand-new Big Top. Go to bookstores and libraries for books about the circus to gear kids up for the experience. Try checking out Last Night I Dreamed a Circus by Maya Gottfried, or a classic like If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss.
Do Arrive Early. About 20 minutes before showtime Circus Vargas opens the ring for kids to come and try out various tricks, like feather balancing and hula hoops.
Don’t Take Pictures. At least not during the show. You don’t want to be the one parent causing one of the fantastic Tabares trapeze artists to fall. Save family shots for outside the tent after the show when cast members graciously wait to pose with kids.
Do Eat Before Going. Hot dogs are tempting, but if you eat a well-balanced meal before going, kids will fair better when you spring for that extra-special sugary treat of cotton candy later on.
Do Bring Your Clown Noses. Have fun and be a kid again. Now is the time for children to see parents being silly, shouting out during audience participation times and just being visibly jaw- droppingly amazed. Kids take their cues from you, so if you don’t have your own nose, spring for the dollar ones on sale outside the Big Top.
Do Try To Go in the Evening. Anytime is good for the circus, but kids are often more in a “watching” mode toward the end of the day when they have gotten their jitters out.
Do Reassure. Kids will surely be entertained, but some sensitive ones worry during more high-flying dangerous acts like Leo Garcia’s "Wheel of Destiny." Talk about things before going. Remind them that these are professionals who have safe equipment and truly know what they are doing.
Don’t Cancel Your Health Insurance. Though you can say, “Don’t try this at home,” you can be sure they will. Your couch will inevitably turn into a miniature replica of the Marinelli’s trampoline. Instead of risking injury, take control and put on your own family circus using hula hoops for your main big top ring. Invite friends and have siblings perform certain roles like the clown, the announcer, the hula hoop lady, special dances, and somersaults for their family “acts.” For more ideas, go to perpetualpreschool.com, and do a search for “circus.”

Circus Vargas is in San Diego through Febraury 15; National City Febraury 18-22; El Cajon February 25-March 8; Vista March 11-15; Mira Mesa 18-22; and Temecula March 25-29.

CIRCUS HOLLYWOOD--EL MINA SHRINE CIRCUS (OCTOBER 2009)

Brett Carden, elephant trainer with the El Mina Shrine Circus, gives 42-year-old Asian elephant Dutchess a bath Thursday afternoon outside Ford Park Arena. Elephants need to be bathed often - with special soap - to ensure their skin does not dry out. Beth Rankin/The Enterprise

Circus is life for one family

By BETH RANKIN October 17, 2009
Just feet from a slumbering lion, Stevie Coronas runs her hand along Albert's back as he snacks on a pile of hay.
She makes a clicking noise with her mouth to get the 8-year-old Friesian stallion's attention.
"Come here, Albert," she said, and he instantly snaped his head up, looking her square in the eye and awaiting his next command.
His obedience is rewarded with a rub on the nose as Coronas coos in his ear.
Coronas - considered the "Circus Mom" - moves from stall to stall, brushing, polishing and braiding manes, preparing the horses for the opening night of the El Mina Shrine Circus at Ford Arena.
She stops to scold her 4-year-old son as his curiosity leads him a little too close to three Asian elephants lounging nearby.
"Don't you even think about doing that again," she calls out. "Elephants are not horses and you could get hurt."
For Coronas, a seventh-generation circus worker, the El Mina circus is both her career and the center of her family's activities.
From February to November, Coronas and her husband, Serge, travel the country with their four children and two grandchildren, setting up, performing in and tearing down the traditional three-ring circus in each town they visit.
"We don't know anything different," Coronas said. "We were born and raised out here."

CIRCUS GATTI 2010 IN TEXAS

With many new acts, Circus Gatti has something for everyone

By Georgia TempleEntertainment EditorPublished: Sunday, February 28, 2010

For Circus Gatti ringmaster Justin Loomis the circus is home.
“I’ve done this all my life pretty much,” Loomis told the Reporter-Telegram. “My father was in the circus business, and as a child, I found it intriguing. And I fell in love with the circus.”
This year’s show, Shazoom, is a return to the origins of circus that combine the traditional circus-acrobatics performances and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of extraordinary human performances presented in three rings of activity.
The circus has performances Wednesday through Saturday at Ector County Coliseum and March 7 and 8 at Chaparral Center. Each performance lasts two hours.
“They can expect to see everything they’d want to see in the circus,” Loomis said of Circus Gatti’s show. “We have a lot of new acts this year. We have included a motorcycle that rides up a high wire, and there’s a girl on the trapeze that hangs underneath the motorcycle. It is a little dangerous, and it is unique, and we haven’t had an act like that for several years. It definitely will be an addition to the show this year that people will not have seen if they came last year.”
In addition to an elephant act, Loomis said, “We have what we refer to as a big and little act. It involves one of our elephants named Patti and a little pony named Andy. They work together simultaneously performing the same type of tricks. It’s really interesting to see the big elephant and the little pony doing the same things side by side.”
The clown Leo Acton is new to the Circus Gatti family, Loomis said. “Before he came to us, he had spent 10 years with Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. He has a miniature car — a very, very tiny car. It’s amazing how he fits in there. When he comes out, the audience is really surprised. He does a lot of audience participation. He interacts really well with the kids and gets kids out of the audience to act in the show.”
Returning this year “by popular demand” is the EJ Duo from Las Vegas, Loomis said. “They do a magical transformation act with instant costume changes.”
Circus Gatti gears its show to appeal to all ages, Loomis said. “We have senior couples come to see the show. We have single parents with children. We have grandpa, grandma bring the kids. We show to all kinds of people so we try to have something for everyone.
Loomis hasn’t always been a ringmaster. He’s been a clown, had a dog act, a pig act, a magic act and a plate-spinning act.
“But the ringmaster was always my favorite thing,” said Loomis, who has been ringmaster since 1996 and a ringmaster with Circus Gatti for four years. “For me, it was kind of a natural thing. Everybody always told me I had a really good voice, and I should try announcing the show, so I did. And that’s what I’ve done ever since.”
Information: In 1963, Major Matthew J. Gatti, retired, founded the American Continental Circus and the Canadian International Circus. Later these two shows became Circus Gatti.

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL MAP

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THE WAY WE WERE

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from "SIGN ON SAN DIEGO.COM)

FROM RODNEY HUEY---

The Federation Mondiale du Cirque urges circus owners, performers, friends and fans to observe and celebrate the first World Circus Day as a show of support of circus arts and culture everywhere. Plan to host or attend a special circus-related event -- whether it's a professional circus performance, a backyard circus or a circus-themed party -- on Saturday, April 17, and join in the worldwide circus celebration. Check it out at www.circusfederation.org.
Thanks, Rodney Huey