PERU AMATEUR CIRCUS READY FOR FESTIVAL

If kids keep learning tricks like this one at the Peru Amateur Circus, they actually stand a chance at joining the real circus.
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Peru Amateur Circus in Peru, Indiana, trains kids ages seven to 21 in all things Big Top, including trapeze and walking on the high wire.
After months of tireless work, current students are showing off what they’ve learned tomorrow (Jul. 17) through July 24 at the Circus City Festival.
They’ll be performing 11 shows that feature high-flying stunts through the air, including a six-person pyramid on the high wire.
Although the stars are "just regular kids," spokesperson Christina Cawood says their performances are on par with professionals.
They’re so good, in fact, that many students later run away and join real circuses or work as stunt doubles.
Regardless of whether they make the circus their full time gig, Cawood says the students also learn life skills they can apply to other professions.
© Copyright 2010 Wireless Flash News Inc

BIG APPLE NEWS...

"Grandma" (Barry Lubin)

Big Apple Circus gains approval from zoning board; coming to Manville

By PAMELA SROKA-HOLZMANN • STAFF WRITER •

July 15, 2010 MANVILLE — Jugglers, aerialists, acrobats, animals and clowns are headed to Main Street.About 150 members of the Big Apple Circus will be taking their show, "Dance On," to the Rustic Mall off South Main Street twice a day, five days a week from Thursday, Sept. 23 to Monday, Oct. 11. The tour's 33rd season will make its debut here.

The circus Wednesday evening gained unanimous approval from the borough's Zoning Board of Adjustment for temporary use on private property. The Borough Council previously had granted approval."It's very exciting," Scott O'Donnell, vice president and general manager of the Big Apple Circus, said following the meeting. "We're very happy to be back in Somerset County."The circus had been presented with a challenge when it decided to move its usual springtime event for more than 10 years at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater to the fall. The fall timeframe conflicted with the Somerset Patriots minor league baseball team's playing schedule, borough Administrator Gary Garwacke said.read more at:http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100715/NEWS/100715051/Big-Apple-Circus-gains-approval-from-zoning-board-coming-to-Manville

MOTORCYCLE THRILL SHOW...

Una Mimnagh, a circus performer for 20 years, and Sara Young of central Pennsylvania met on myspace.com. They've been performing together ever since.
Motorcycle thrill show: Girls and bikes 'a good combination'

Published: Thursday, July 15, 2010, 8:07 AM Brielle Vance The Muskegon Chronicle
Circus Una will make crowds gasp at this year’s Bike Time as the female duo
Contributed photoUna Mimnagh, a circus performer for 20 years, and Sara Young of central Pennsylvania met on myspace.com. They've been performing together ever since.roars through the air at Steel Horse Station.
Watch with amazement as the two women work together to balance a motorcycle on an inclined high wire while a steel trapeze hangs below.
Una Mimnagh, a circus performer for 20 years, and Sara Young of central Pennsylvania met on myspace.com two years ago and have been performing their stunt show together ever since.
Mimnagh said she began working in lighting for a circus, but later began working as a trapeze artist. She started working with motorcycles six years ago, and bought a bike to start her own act three years later.
“It was just supposed to be a summer job and it lasted the rest of my life,” she said.
“This will be our first time at Bike Time and we’re really looking forward to it,” Mimnagh said. “This is our third summer at bike rallies. We love bike rallies. The crowds are great. They love girls and they love bikes. It’s a good combination.”
As a finale, the duo will complete a 360-degree revolution around the wire.Friday’s performances are scheduled for 1, 3, 5, and 7 p.m. Saturday’s shows are set for 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m. Sunday’s acts will be at 1 and 3 p.m.
For more information about this act, visit circusuna.com.

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ FAIR.....

Passaic County Fair has many activities planned

Friday, July 16, 2010 Clifton Journal

WOODLAND PARK —

The seventh Passaic County Fair opened July 14 and will continue through Sunday, July 18. The fair is situated on Garret Mountain overlooking southern Passaic County and beyond. Friday hours are 5 p.m. to midnight. The weekend hours commence at 1 p.m. On Saturday the Fair will close at midnight. On Sunday, the Fair will close at 9 p.m.

Sixteen different food choices including ethnic and standard foods are offered at the expanded food court. The vendors set their own prices for the food they serve. The library tent run by the librarians of Passaic County will be especially interesting to the little ones. State inspected carnival rides will attract persons of all ages. Animal lovers may experience an entire tent housing animal shelter groups with their charges, circus performers, pony rides and children's games will attract parents and children to participate.The County Sheriff's Department, the County Prosecutor's office and the New Jersey National Guard will demonstrate techniques, equipment and arms that protect us all year long. An Army Blackhawk helicopter is scheduled to fly to the fair grounds.

The Sheriff's EMT unit will be present and the Sheriff's CERT team will assist in car parking. Free busing is available to the Fairgrounds. Craft vendors, private businesses and non-profit organizations will display their products and tout their services.

The County will bring in some of its heavy equipment for inspection by all; especially for the tax paying public. The County tent will exhibit various information and services of its many Departments.

A chainsaw carver will demonstrate his skills.

Many other features, too numerous to cite in this article, will help make the Fair a pleasurable and exciting experience. So come to the Fair in the pride of the summer.

Free entrance to fairgrounds except for a $4 fee per car parking charge. No limit to the number of passengers in each vehicle. Visit www.passaiccountynj.org for more county fair information.

from northjersey.com

CULPEPPER & MERRIWEATHER CIRCUS NEWS...

Brandi Stromberg Independent-Enterprise

Skeeter the Clown, above, comes to the Fruitland City Park to announce to children, last week, that the circus is coming to town. She came to the park during the migrant free lunch and announced to about 30 children all the acts and events that will be at the circus. The circus is set for July 19 with shows at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Fruitland Middle School fields.
The circus is coming to Fruitland

By Brandi StrombergIndependent-EnterpriseThursday, July 15, 2010 10:46 AM PDT
Fruitland, ID — The circus is coming to town.
The Culpepper and Merriweather Great Combined Circus is coming to Fruitland as a Fruitland Chamber of Commerce fundraiser and as a way to give back to the community.
“Yes, it is a fundraiser for the chamber, but we also wanted to do something for the community,” FCC secretary Kelly Whatley said. “We wanted to do something for the families in our community. It’s an inexpensive night out with your family. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
According to the press page on the web site, the circus had a humble beginning. In 1985, Robert Johnson, Jim Hebert and Curtis Cainan started a small show. The three alternated announcing, performing and selling concessions during each performance for the first year. They didn't sell tickets, instead relying on donations received from passing a hat at the end of each show. Oblivious to everyone in the business who told them they could never succeed, they were able to gradually add employees, equipment and animals over the years.Culpepper & Merriweather Circus was based in Queen Creek, Ariz., until 2001, when new ownership moved its base of operations to Hugo, Okla., deep in the beautiful Red River Valley. Hugo is known as “Circus City, USA” for a good reason. It is the 20th circus to call Hugo home since 1941, and the fourth active circus currently operating from the seat of Choctaw County. The show will have lions, tigers, exotic birds, juggling acts, pony and/or camel rides, trapeze acts, and of course, clowns. Child performers from the ages of 5 to 14 will be in attendance, as well.“We also want families to know, they can come down to the school yard to watch the rasing of the tent,” Whatley said. “We, as a chamber, are so excited to host this for our community.”Whatley said there were some businesses that bought tickets and donated them back to the chamber for families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend.
“We had a marketing company that called around and offered businesses to do this,” Whatley said. “It is really great to see our community step up like this. It’s going to be really nice and fun for families to attend.” The circus is set for July 19 with shows at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The circus is set to be held at the Fruitland Middle School in the back fields. For ticket information, contact the chamber at (208) 452-4350. from the Argusobserver.com

KENT FAMILY CIRCUS

Kent family circus featured at Beech Bend

By NATALIE JORDAN, The Daily News, Thursday, July 15, 2010

Victor Kent allowed fire to dance across his tongue before swallowing it.
“I love Kentucky, and I have proof - 180 proof,” he said before using an alcohol-based agent to blow on the fire, making a blaze extend outward.
The Kent Family Magic Circus had been made up of Kent and six of his children providing a variety of trickery and illusions to keep those under the Magnolia shelter, one of Beech Bend Amusement Park’s original structures, entertained. And this year, the traveling seven have turned into the traveling nine as a son and the mom were added to the show.
Titus Kent, 12, who is confined to a wheelchair, and Mami, Victor’s wife, are now part of the traveling show - full of music, magic, song, stunts, escapes, bullwhips and fire juggling on a unicycle.
Victor Kent said that in addition to Mami’s juggling act, she will do a seance trick where she will call a ghost, which he said is very 1930s-1940s.
“It’s not a lot. It’s not meant to be a lot,” he said of the additions. “We decided to add them because they wanted to be part of the traveling family show.
“And people are excited about the new additions.”
And next year, the Kent family will add their dog, Belle, to the roster, he said.
“Our goal is to entertain,” he said. “Each show has different aspects to it, where 90 percent will be recognizable, but 10 percent will be new. It’s not just a magic show. It’s a Vaudeville show, it’s a circus. We’ve got singing and dancing, juggling and fire eating, and there is always that element of danger.”
Originally from Oroville, Calif., the family has traveled all over sharing their magical talents - entertaining at fairs, amusement parks and theaters. Victor said this year, they will have traveled 14 states plus Canada, and will loop back to California.
“It’s a family thing,” he said. “Magic is at the core, but it’s surrounded by so much more.”
The family is no stranger to the park, as this marks their third year to perform here. The Kent Family Magic Circus started performances at the park Monday and will continue through July 25 at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays; noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays; and 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays.
The family circus was brought in as part of the park’s Kids Festival - something special for children before they have to return to school, said Beech Bend spokeswoman Charlotte Gonzalez. She said that while the park has entertainment almost every day, the Kent family is something different.
“They are a very entertaining bunch,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said Beech Bend has different types of entertainment, such as a retro rock ’n’ roll show and a dancing show, for those who do not frequent the rides at the amusement park.
“It’s good family entertainment,” Gonzalez said, “and it just fits here at Beech Bend.”

MORE COLE BROS DATES.....

Cole Bros. circus pitching its tent in Midland Beach

Published: Thursday, July 15, 2010, Jodi Lee Reifer
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Elephants and donkeys of the political variety aren’t the only animals in town this summer.Cole Bros. Circus returns to Midland Beach next week, and it’s cramming more creatures under the Big Top than it has in years.
The 126th edition delivers five elephants, two camels, two zebras, two miniature horses, 11 ponies, 10 dogs, seven tigers and one liger (a lion/tiger half-breed), along with traditional clowns, trapeze artists and a human cannonball. (Photo courtesy of Cole Bros. Circus)The 126th edition delivers five elephants, two camels, two zebras, two miniature horses, 11 ponies, 10 dogs, seven tigers and one liger (a lion/tiger half-breed), along with traditional clowns, trapeze artists and a human cannonball.

Cole Bros. Circus returns to Midland Beach next week. The 126th edition delivers five elephants, two camels, two zebras, two miniature horses, 11 ponies, 10 dogs, seven tigers and one liger (a lion/tiger half-breed), along with traditional clowns, trapeze artists and a human cannonball. (Photo courtesy of Cole Bros. Circus)
“There’s something about live entertainment,” says ringmaster Christopher Connors. “No strings attached. No computer effects whatsoever. The kids get to see the elephants up-close. They see the trapeze right above their heads.”
Cole Bros. pitches its mustard and ketchup-colored tent daily, Monday through July 25, in Midland Beach Park, 1110 Father Capodanno Blvd. Showtimes are 5 and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 2, 5 and 8 p.m. on the Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets, at $17 for adults and $12 for children and seniors, are on sale at S & L Children’s Design in the Staten Island Mall, at www.tickets.com and on show days on the midway. Reserved tickets can be had for $3 more. Free children’s tickets are available at www.freekidstickets.com.
For more information, visit www.gotocircus.com or call 800-796-5672.

The biggest show-stealer is probably a 4-year-old baby elephant named Val, above, with elephant trainer Tim Frisco. (Photo courtesy of Paul Gutheil)
Cole Bros. settles into Aviator Sports and Recreation in Brooklyn,
July 26-Aug. 1.
Among the new acts are: “Angels in the Air,” featuring the three Flying Ponces sisters, the youngest of whom is 14, and their father on the trapeze; and “Free Style Motor Show,” with ATV riders who jump off ramps and flip 360 degrees. Returning to the Big Top is a dog-and-pony show. Third-generation circus performer Jennifer Walker trains pooches to jump through hoops and ride the back of a pony. One “super dog,” wearing a cape, jumps off a ladder into her arms.
But the biggest show-stealer is probably a 4-year-old baby elephant named Val. She and 3-year-old Halley Frisco skip around the ring. The little girl is the daughter of elephant trainer Tim Frisco.
While animal rights advocates and groups such as New York League of Humane Voters contend circus animals are mistreated and suffer emotional distress, circus officials maintain the creatures enjoy the work they do.
“These are animals bred in captivity. It’s not like they’ve known anything else,” says Rodney West, marketing director of Cole Bros. Circus.
City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez (D-Manhattan) first sponsored a bill four years that seeks to ban the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement. She re-introduced it this past February, but it hasn’t moved through the approval process.

RINGLING ELEPHANT WALK, LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles News

Seven Asian elephants linked tail to trunk and marched through Downtown LA early this morning to get the word out about the upcoming Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus show this weekend.

Also, the 3-mile walk is the only way to get the elephants from their circus trains at Union Station to the Staples Center venue.

The elephants conducted themselves in a dignified manner and gave bleary-eyed early commuters a rare treat.
The show, called Barnum's Funundrum, runs from July 14-18.

-193rd Jefferson County Fair Opening Day, WATERTWON, NY

TOP TEN FAIRS IN THE USA.....

Best state fairs in the U.S.
By Jay Jones, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Jim Kopel has been a big fan of state fairs since he was 10, when he exhibited his Chester White pigs at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. Since retiring from teaching a few years ago, Kopel has visited state fairs in all 50 states, turning his ardor into something more than just happy memories.
Clipboard and pencil in hand, Kopel uses a 90-item checklist to evaluate the fairs. Key criteria include cleanliness of the grounds and creature comforts. Kopel takes note of all the details, including whether walkways are manure-free and whether there are ample benches.
Based on his findings, the former college professor has easily identified his favorite fairs. Predictably, Iowa is on the list, of course, but what of California? It didn't fare as well as some of its Midwestern counterparts, but it still rates up there. Here are his picks.....

read more at:http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/sns-travel-la-tr-fairs-20100704-newsletter,0,2273288.story

LEWIS & CLARK IN KITTANNING, PA

Children of All Ages Enjoy Circus

July 7, 2010

Hannah Patterson and her brother Caleb Patterson enjoyed a cool treat during a night of fun at the Lewis & Clarck Circus in Kittanning

It was a busy night under the big top last night in Kittanning Community Park. Six o’ clock kicked off a successful evening for the Lewis & Clark Award Winning Tent Circus of 2010. The audience was a mix of many local and visiting families.
Oh, and if you think you’re too old for the circus, guess again! Bob Smith enjoyed his very first circus last night. “We saw the advertisements,” said Smith, “I thought, ‘I’m almost 50 years old and I’ve never been to a circus’. I thought I would make it my first. This should be interesting!” With Bob were his nephews, David and Dwight Smith, his wife Regina Smith, and his mother Sylvia Smith.The many acts put on by the Lewis & Clark performers included Single Trapeze, Goat Act, Chair Balancing, Hula Hoops, King Congo Act, Big and Little Horse Act, The Great Escape, The Giant Trampoline Act, The Rollavola, and so many other breath taking acts performed for the enjoyment of their Armstrong County audience.

Brian Hostetter binds Hose' Ayala with chains for the magnificent escape act!
The twenty year old Escape Artist, Hose (Emmanuel) Ayala, has been with the circus all his life. “I’ve been involved with the circus all my life, I’m the sixth generation of circus performers so it comes from my grandparents, great grandparents, the big circus in Mexico, and then we came over here. We chose the Lewis & Clark Circus because it is so family oriented. I love it when the crowd gets really crazy like earlier.”This year’s Circus in Kittanning is one never to be forgotten by several people. Marissa Rusnica of DuBois will not soon forget holding her first live alligator. Olivia Wright will remember holding a giant slimy snake for the first and perhaps the last time. A military man, Brian Hostetter of Tennessee, is still baffled at the amazing escape of Hose Ayala from his personally inspected locks and chains.
Fletcher Forringer, Megan Gibson, Madison Rusnica, Ethan Rusnica, and Marissa Rusnica share the weight of the large Boa Constrictor at last night’s Circus in Kittanning

The looks on the faces of countless others said that their memory of the night would live on with them for many years.

Circus headed to Princess Anne, MD

By Wendy Thompson • July 14, 2010

Camel rides are part of the Zerbini Family Circus which will be under the big top next week in Princess Anne.

PRINCESS ANNE -- "For me it's an honor to be part of a family tradition that many people aren't born into any more," said Melody Zerbini Ramirez on the telephone from her Florida home as she prepared to leave on an East Coast tour with the Zerbini Family Circus which will visit the grounds of the Somerset County Civic Center next week.
With eight generations on her father's side and four on her mother's, Zerbino Ramirez should know all the ropes about circuses.She describes the show as "traditional with a modern twist," with clowns, animal acts, jugglers and balancing artists providing the "old school" items, while the aerial display is a nod to Cirque du Soleil -- all performed under a striking yellow-and-blue big top.
The production truly is a family affair from setup to grande finale.Ringmaster Zerbino Ramirez announces the program starring her father, Alain Zerbini, mother, Letty Castro Zerbini, and 16-year-old brother, Julian.Besides handling the advance promotions, her husband, Gustavo Ramirez, doubles as the show's comedian.Members of the Sanchez family, who have collaborated with the company for more than 10 years, complete the staff.
Popular highlights include appearances by Tantanka the buffalo and performances by the company's rescue dogs."It's 90 minutes of fun. The oldest form of family entertainment," said Zerbino Ramirez.
Performances are at 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets go on sale at the box office one hour before each show, giving visitors the chance to get into the circus spirit with games, pony and camel rides.

STAR FAMILY CIRCUS AT WATERTOWN, NY FAIR

Circus group serves up daily thrills

STAR FAMILY: Daredevil stunts among veteran performers' offerings at Jefferson County Fair

By GABRIELLE HOVENDON, TIMES INTERN, THURSDAY,

JULY 15, 2010

COLLEEN WHITE / WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES, Estrella Morales performs acrobatics while suspended by her hair during the Star Family Circus & Thrill Show on Wednesday at the Jefferson County Fair. The family-owned act, which made its Watertown debut in 2000, is appearing at the fair all week.

When he's not doing aerial stunts blindfolded atop a spinning wheel or riding a motorcycle around a steel globe, the King of the Sky and Motorcycle Daredevil goes by the name Oscar Garcia.
Mr. Garcia is a member of the Star Family Circus & Thrill Show, a free daily show performing at 3:30, 5:30 and 8 p.m. at the Jefferson County Fair all week. The circus group emphasizes the "Thrill" part of its name throughout its show, performing one stunt in which two motorcyclists drive at high speeds inside a small steel cage and another in which a young woman, suspended by only her hair, gyrates in midair with a flaming hula hoop around her waist.
The group also lives up to the "Family" aspect of its name with the core of its show, which features five members of the third- and fourth-generation Garcia family.
"You have to like this business to stay in it," said Mr. Garcia, who began working in circuses and carnivals at the age of 6 in his native Tijuana, Mexico, and has since performed across North, South and Central America. "It's in our blood."Mr. Garcia's wife, Kathy M. Garcia, is a native of Reading, Pa., and also has been traveling across the country with circuses since she was young. In 1981, Mr. and Mrs. Garcia met while working in a trapeze act with a Shrine Circus.
Though at the time neither spoke much of the other's language, they soon married and began creating the acts upon which their Star Family shows are based.

COLLEEN WHITE / WATERTOWN DAILY TIMES Celeste C. Garcia performs with one of several dogs Wednesday in the Star Family Circus & Thrill Show

This year marks the family circus's third year at the Jefferson County Fair, where the variety of acts in past years' shows proved a big hit among fairgoers.
"They've been very well-received by the public, and they don't have exactly the same show every year," said Robert D. Simpson, president of the Jefferson County Fair. "They're good to work with and it's something different."
The Garcia family typically employs other families to augment their acts for one or two seasons. This year, the show includes Estrella and Lisa Morales, distant cousins of the Garcias.In addition to death-defying stunts, the show also offers canine tricks, a children's hula-hoop contest, multiple costume changes and lively music during each of its half-hour shows.
Though the brevity of the performance might leave spectators wanting more, Mr. Simpson said its short duration keeps fairgoers from losing interest and wandering off.
"Unlike a family act, a full-fledged circus show is really expensive and long," he said. "Two-hour shows don't lend themselves well to a county fair."
From a young age, the three fourth-generation Garcia children have played a part in the family circus, traveling up and down the East Coast and into Canada to perform for 10 months of the year. Celeste C. Garcia, Mr. Garcia's daughter, explained that the constant travel as well as the steady changes in the show's repertoire continue to provide an exhilarating sense of the unknown for her.
"It has its ups and downs, as everything does," she said. "You could say it's hard driving everywhere, but I love to see new places. It's pretty exciting."
Miss Garcia, the show's ringmaster, leads the dog act and is learning how to perform the motorcycle act as well. Now in her 20s, she was only 13 when the Star Family Circus & Thrill Show made its debut at the Jefferson County Fair in 2000 and only 3 when she first appeared onstage.Next month, a fifth-generation Garcia will be born into the family to Miss Garcia's younger sister, Reyna. Miss Garcia said she anticipates raising any future children of her own in the circus tradition, ensuring the survival of the Star Family Circus & Thrill Show for years to come.
"I'll always have some part in it, and I want to raise my kids in it," she said. "This is gonna be my life forever."
And as for Mr. Garcia's future plans? When asked, the performer seemed to find the idea of retiring or adopting another line of work inconceivable.
"It's my life," he said simply. "It's what I love to do."
In addition to the circus, today's fair also features performances by Two by Two Zoo as well as a variety of livestock and 4-H competitions during the day, a celebrity milk-off at 7 p.m. and the Stoney Roberts Demolition Derby preliminary at 7 p.m. The Reithoffer Shows Inc. midway opens at noon and offers discounted rides until 6 p.m.
For more information, including a detailed fair schedule, visit the fair website or call the fair office at 782-8612.

from The Watertown, NY Daily Times

GOSPEL SHOW AT UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS...

Gospel Rap Concert at UniverSoul Circus

by iscooda, July 14, 2010 ,Channel: Events
Location: Saint Louis, MO.

The UniverSoul Circus will be back in St. Louis on July 20-25, raising their big top in the Jamestown Mall parking lot in Florissant. Though this Atlanta-based Black circus is grounded in traditional circus arts -- the high wire, clowns, animal acts, tumbling -- they've made the three-ring their own by adding acts like choreographed dancers and drummers from Trinidad & Tobago, and "Double Dribble/Above The Rim," which is "a combination of basketball acrodunking and various tricks being performed with a basketball," Globetrotter-style.

They have 219 appearances booked for their 2010 tour, but on the last day of their St. Louis stop, there will be something only local audiences will get to see: a 90-minute concert by a group of St. Louis Gospel rap artists, including Scooda, Pecola J, Forever, Da General, Divine-Truth, Point 5, Pub G, Rik Rok and Gigi. The show is produced by STL Gospel Show, an internet radio channel hosted by Sean "Scooda" Thomas and Kid 3.
St. Louis has a dedicated Gospel rap scene. Sadly, the main showcase for Gospel rap artists, The Body nightclub, shut down earlier this year, so this is an opportunity to see several artists at once, something that's become rarer since that venue closed.

CARSON & BARNES CIRCUS TO PLAY MOOSEHEART...

Circus coming to Mooseheart

A really "big top" will grace the Mooseheart campus Aug. 13 to 15 when it hosts the Carson and Barnes Circus.

By Susan Sarkauskas Daily Herald Staff Contact writer

Mooseheart will host the Carson and Barnes Circus for three days next month.

The circus will set up its 180-by-144-foot tent, with seating for 2,200, on the south side of the campus, which is on Route 31, between Batavia and North Aurora.
The show is a fundraiser for the school, which is a mission of the Moose International fraternal organization. The Moose have paid a flat fee for the circus, so all proceeds from ticket sales at seven performances go to the school.
Hosting the circus is one of the ways Mooseheart tries to engage the community, said Kurt Wehrmeister, director of communications and public affairs for Moose International.
And "we think it is a very wholesome bit of Americana culture that kids today don't get to see enough of," he said.
Carson and Barnes advertises itself as the second-largest traveling circus in the United States.
"We wanted to build the relationship with Carson and Barnes now, as we start to build toward 2013," said Scott Hart, executive director of the school, referring to Mooseheart's 100-year anniversary. "We're excited and the kids at Mooseheart are excited about the circus coming to town. It's something that hasn't happened for a long time."
Performances are at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13; 1:30, 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14; and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Aug. 15.
Tickets can be purchased in advance as well as at the circus grounds on the day of the performance. Advance tickets are $10 and tickets purchased on-site are $15. Parking is $5. For more information, go to mooseheart.org or call (630) 966-2292.

OCEAN CITY, MD

Boardwalk Cam about 10 minutes ago!

THE ZERBINI FAMILY CIRCUS

CRAWFORD COUNTY FAIR

MEADEVILLE, PA
2 SHOWS DAILY STARTING MONDAY (AUGUST 23) -

FRIDAY (AUGUST 27)

3 SHOWS ON SATURDAY (AUGUST 28)

This is a free show located behind the Youth Show Arena & Farm Tractors
The Zerbini Family Circus under the big top started in the USA in 1992. Before that time, the Zerbini Family of circus performers and owners go back over a century. Originating in France, the Zerbini's owned circuses throughout Europe and Africa. Julian Zerbini brought his family to the USA in 1968 working as high wire artist in all the top name circuses.

Unfortunately, in 1991 there was an accident. A faulty wire snapped, Alain fell to the circus ring 40 feet below and was told by doctors, shortly after, he would never walk again. True to his nature, he was not willing to accept this and after months of rehabilitation, Alain decided to give it all he had and opened the Alain Zerbini Circus. Then it was a small big top seating 500 people. It has grown to a new red and white striped tent with a capacity of just over 1000. Alain's determination grew with the circus and contradicting the doctors diagnosis, he not only managed the circus but also returned to performing.

Viewing the circus show, you may see Alain Zerbini performing aerial acts, balancing acts and his favorite, animal acts. The circus travels over 8 months a year and is a favorite at a number of county fairs, such as Moundville, WC, Lexington, VA, Canton, OH, Harrisburg, VA, Hilliard, OH, Henderson, NC, Meadville, PA, Zanesville, OH, Kirksville, MO, and Sumpter, SC just to name a few. With over a decade behind him traveling from town to town and fair to fair, Alain Zerbini knows what the public likes and makes every effort to bring it to them year after year.

FUNUNDRUM OPENS TONIGHT IN L.A.

Circus opens tonight at Staples Center
By Steven Herbert, City News Service
Posted: 07/14/2010 07:24:05 AM PDT
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus begins a five-day run at Staples Center tonight with a show inspired by the 200th anniversary of the birth of its founder, P.T. Barnum.
"Barnum's FUNundrum" features 130 performers from six continents, including cowboys, pirates, mermaids along with the clowns and elephants Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has long been famed for, in an attempt to answer the question, "What special wonders create `The Greatest Show on Earth?"'
"When we were creating `Barnum's FUNundrum' we knew we wanted to create a show that was so big, so grand, so spectacular honoring Barnum's 200th birthday," said Alana Feld, who is producing the circus along with her sister Nicole.
"We searched the globe and looked for the most tremendous, the most outrageous, the most unique acts we could find."
Those acts include The Flying Caceres, attempting a rarely accomplished quadruple somersault on an arena-sized trapeze; The Puyang Troupe from China, who perform on a two-tiered trampoline; and the Body Benders, who fit three women into a cube the size of a milk crate.
Other featured acts include Mighty Meetal, billed as the world's strongest man, able to lift more than 1,200 pounds; seven motorcyclists riding in a steel globe; and the husband-and-wife hand balancers known as Duo Fusion, where the wife does the heavy lifting.
An hour before the show, the public can come to the arena floor to meet performers, get autographs and see Kelly Ann an elephant who paints.
The Staples Center stop for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will mark the return to performing of its littlest elephant, Baby Barack, who walks the ring with his mother Bonnie.
Barack had returned to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida after being diagnosed with a form of elephant herpes virus earlier this year. He was successfully treated and declared healthy by center veterinarians. The cause of the virus in elephant calves is not known.
"He is a special little guy," Nicole Feld said of Barack, who was born at 11:50 p.m. Jan. 19, 2009, the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama as president.
"There's no place else in the world where you can see a beautiful baby elephant with his mother. He has an extraordinary bond that he has with mother. It's a really precious moment."
The Feld sisters are the third generation of their family to be involved with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Nicole Feld said her father Kenneth, who produced the circus before becoming chief executive officer of the circus' owner, Feld Entertainment, "thinks we have it tougher because it is harder in this day and age to impress people."
Alana Feld said one of the most challenging aspects of producing the circus is "finding ways to surprise audiences," especially children.
"Kids today are so smart and so sophisticated and they're exposed to so much," she told City News Service.
"Kids are so exposed today to the highest technology in video games, special effects and YouTube. When they come to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, there's a suspension of belief. We need to keep impressing on kids these are real people doing real things

Circus dropped over treatment of animals
By L. Finch
Globe Correspondent / July 14, 2010

Boston-

Northeastern University will no longer invite the UniverSoul Circus to perform on campus, breaking with a two-year tradition amid questions about the organization’s treatment of animals, college representatives said
The university made the decision after receiving several complaints, including a letter from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, about the welfare of the circus’ animals, said Renata Nyul, a spokeswoman for Northeastern.
"We researched the issue and we were not happy with what we found,’’ Nyul said. "So we made the decision to not host the circus.’’
The Atlanta-based circus concluded a 13-day performance on Northeastern’s campus Saturday. The circus had last performed at the university in 2008.
PETA contacted Northeastern after it had received phone calls from local residents who had seen the circus set up in one of the university’s parking lots, said Lisa Wathne, a spokeswoman for PETA. Residents could see UniverSoul’s tigers in their travel cages and feared for the animals’ well-being in the heat, she said.
UniverSoul executive vice president Jackie Davis said she wasn’t aware of Northeastern’s decision. The circus passed all animal regulatory inspections while in Boston, she said.
"We do not abuse animals nor do we support anyone that would abuse animals . . .’’ Davis said. "We take great pride in the way we treat our animals. I have no idea of why someone would make that accusation,’’ Davis said.
UniverSoul is not licensed under the US Department of Agriculture and does not own any of its animals, said David Sacks, a spokesman for the agency. In the past, the USDA has cited some of the companies from which the circus leases its animals for various infractions, but none have been cited recently, he said.
In 2003, the USDA investigated the owner of a pair of kangaroos employed by UniverSoul in a slapstick boxing act after two of the animals died within a few months of each other from alleged maltreatment, according to the agency. UniverSoul no longer works with the man, Sacks said. In 2002, PETA released undercover video of an elephant trainer contracted by UniverSoul beating his animals with bull hooks and electric prods.
UniverSoul has also lost sponsorships in the past with Burger King, Ford Motor Co., and General Mills amid concerns about the welfare of its show animals, PETA said.

Delaware State Fair Announces 2010 Grounds Entertainment Lineup

DELAWARE STATE FAIR PRESS RELEASE

Harrington, DE- July 2, 2010
Fair Contact: Danny Aguilar (302) 398-5903 Email: daguilar@delawarestatefair.com

Exciting, FREE entertainment is on the schedule for the Delaware Electric Cooperative’s Free Entertainment Tent July 22 – 31, 2010.

Circus Hollywood will be keeping on us the edge of our seats with their death defying stunts July 22 – 31. They will be performing adjacent to the Sponsor Lot at 5:00pm and 8:00pm every night.

Hollywood Racing Pigs will be racing for the top prize July 22 – 31. They will be racing near the Quillen Arena at 2:00pm, 3:30pm and 6:30pm every day.

If you’re looking for something that the kids will enjoy, check out The Giraffic Menagerie & Pony Rides July 22 from 9:00am – 5:00pm and July 23 – 31 from 11:00am – 9:00pm. Includes a petting zoo where you can feed the giraffes and pony rides in the Machinery Lot.

Find out what those crowds are about as everyone gathers to “breeze rhythmically” with HIlby the Skinny German Juggle Boy. He will be performing nightly near the Dover Building.

The Delaware Lottery presents: Dave Martin’s Championship Rodeo in the Quillen Arena on July 23 at 7:30pm.

Enjoy the excitement of Harness Racing at the Governor’s Day Harness Race. Top horses and jockeys will be competing for over $500,000 in prizes on July 29 from 11:00am – 3:00pm.

Erick Kand will be hypnotizing The Fair with his interactive, comedy hypnosis show at the Delaware Cooperative’s Free Entertainment Tent July 22 – 31. He will be performing nightly at 7:00pm and 9:00pm.
Vocal Trash, a definite fan favorite, will be back for another year of entertaining fans. They will be performing nightly in the Delaware State Cooperative’s Free Entertainment Tent at 8:00pm and 10:00pm. Come watch as the group combines their passion for music with recycled trash to create one amazing performance!

This year’s Ice Show at the Delaware State Fair Ice Rink will be “Rockin Through the Ages!” Performances will feature skits performed to various rock n’ roll songs from the 1950’s – Present. Performances will be daily at 5:00pm and 8:00pm.

Check the Delaware State Fair calendar of events in June for a complete listing of events and show times.

STRATES SHOWS SET-UP, ORANGE COUNTY FAIR, MIDDLETOWN, NY (FROM STEVE KEELER)

STRATES SHOWS SET-UP, ORANGE COUNTY FAIR. MIDDLETOWN, NY (FROM STEVE KEELER)

The pics were just taken at the Orange County

Fairgounds in Middletown, NY by Steve Keeler.

RICHMOND, INDIANA.....

OUT OF OUR PAST:

Under the sweltering Big TopAudience members said there were pick pockets; people were faintingThe Greatest Show on Earth ... was not so great in Richmond in 1872.

P.T. Barnum's Great Traveling World's Fair -- The Greatest Show on Earth -- was more than Wayne County residents could bear.Ads in three local newspapers promised: "... a Chaste and Refined Circus of Performers, Seven Superior Shows for One price, under Six Colossal Tents; Curiosities from All Parts of the Earth, Rare Wild Animals; wild cannibals, black rhinoceros, Babylonian lions, freaks of nature -- a lady born without arms, General Tom Thumb, a sleeping beauty, a kaffre snake charmer -- plus equestrians, acrobats, knights, heralds, Arabs, Turks, Tartars, Greeks, Germans, bareback riders and aerialists!"It deemed itself "absolutely without parallel the greatest spectacle in the history of the world!" All of Wayne County Phineas Taylor Barnum, the most renowned showman of his time, relied on colorful advertising and publicity to create spectacular anticipation. He had skyrocketed midget Charles Sherman Stratton, a.k.a. Gen. Tom Thumb, to international stardom while touring Europe.

Barnum’s Great Traveling World’s Fair attracted residents from all over Wayne County. But once under the Big Top, audience members had to face the oppressive heat and thieves. (Supplied photo)

Barnum used gimmickry to produce a spectacular effect. After his circus came to Richmond on July 15, 1872, the Richmond Daily Independent reported, "People from the countryside came pouring into town. The streets and sidewalks were crowded with humanity... A colored man living 17 miles north of the city walked that distance to see Barnum's show. When asked why he did not come by wagon, he replied that he was afraid there might be an accident and he was determined to see the show, so he preferred to trust to the only manner of locomotion that had never yet failed him. His feet."The paper added, "The heat was oppressive, making it next to impossible to breathe. Several persons fainted under the big top and had to be carried out... One German lady who had never attended a show paid her half dollar and received her ticket. She was much pleased with what she saw, until having occasion to feel in her pocket, she discovered she had been robbed of five dollars. She is now of the opinion that such shows are a humbug."The Richmond Daily Independent's ultimate critique: "The exhibition was very good, but nothing like what the advertising had led the people to expect. The immense crowd attracted reveals what printers' ink will do, when judiciously pressed and promising more than could be delivered."

P.T. Barnum, pictured above with Sherman Stratton, a.k.a Gen. Tom Thumb, said he made Thumb an international star while touring in Europe. (Supplied photo)

THE AUTHOR ....
Out of Our Past

Steve Martin

from: http://www.pal-item.com/article/20100712/NEWS13/7120310

ASHLAND CITY, TN....

Side Show at Ashland City, TN Fair.

The caption read College Students earning education money.

I just wonder if this could be Logan Jacot's Show?
(Photo by "Sue")

TAYLOR & SONS CARNIVAL....

The Taylor & Sons Carnival, sponsored by the Smyrna-Clayton, DE July 4th Association, was one of the highlights of the Independence Day celebration at the Smyrna Municipal Park. The carnival was in town from July 1-5.
.Lauren Barkley zooms down the Super Slide at the carnival July 5 at the Smyrna Municipal Park.

Clowns Entertain Barnum Museum With $10,000 Gift

(July 6) -- Clowns have a special way of either making people laugh or scaring the bejeezus out of them. But on Monday there was nothing but smiles at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Conn., when a pair of circus performers showed up with a $10,000 gift.

The Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Conn., received a $10,000 donation from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey in honor of P.T. Barnum's 200th birthday.

The money was presented by Feld Entertainment, producers of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, in honor of P.T. Barnum's 200th birthday Monday.The funds are intended to support the continued preservation of the famed showman's curiosities, ephemera and various artifacts. Among the pieces on display at the museum are a letter penned by the showman to Mark Twain, miniature carriages belonging to Tom Thumb and fellow performer Commodore Nutt, a 1,000-square-foot, 3/4-inch scale model of a five-ring circus, and an authentic 4,000-year-old Egyptian mummy.
"Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is P.T. Barnum's living legacy; however, it also is vital to support the collections of one of this country's most celebrated citizens," said Nicole Feld, executive vice president of Feld Entertainment and producer of Ringling Bros.
The gift is especially timely since a tornado struck the museum late last month.

A re-creation of the library from Barnum's first Bridgeport mansion, Iranistan, resides on the museum's first floor. Iranistan was destroyed by fire in 1857.
"Like all good museums, we had an emergency plan, but it's all about responding to warnings, and there were no warnings," Kathy Maher, executive director and curator of the Barnum Museum, told AOL News. "No one was prepared because it was so immediate."
As a result, there was no time to move or cover exhibits, and when windows were blown out, debris flew in and covered numerous parts of the collection.
"It was nothing catastrophic, just a lot of tedious restoration work to have done," said Kay Page Greaser, publicist for the Barnum Museum. "It only impacted the first floor, which is about P.T. Barnum's life and legacy and features some of the more special pieces of the collection."
Despite the museum's ongoing efforts to repair the damage, it plans to celebrate Barnum's birthday with cake and live entertainment this afternoon, as well as performances by the gift-giving clowns from Ringling Bros.
And that's just how Barnum would've wanted it, considering the way the impresario bounced back after several devastating fires to his museums and his Bridgeport home.

Tom Thumb, pictured here stepping into his carriage, got his stage name from P.T. Barnum.

"This generous contribution will help us continue to preserve Barnum's legacy," Maher said, "and allow us to ensure that the most precious parts of the collection are accessible to the public for many years to come.
"The quote that embodies P.T. Barnum's spirit is, 'The noblest art is that of making others happy,' and I am confident he would be very happy with this gift," she added.
The donation was the culmination of a weekend filled with events around New York City hosted by Feld Entertainment to celebrate Barnum's milestone year.

RUNAWAY GIANT CROCODILE...

Cops Hunt Runaway Crocodile

Published : Sunday, 11 Jul 2010

(NewsCore) - A crocodile's break for freedom from a reptile show proved short-lived Saturday when it was cornered at a building site in Frankfurt's financial district, German police said.
Acting on a tip from a terrified motorist, police discovered the 10 foot (three meter) long crocodile and safely returned it to its owners.
The animal had not gotten far, officers said. The reptile show has been underway just next door to where it was found.
Only 10 days ago another runaway crocodile -- this time from a small traveling circus -- was captured in the small town of Gross-Rohrheim, just south of Frankfurt in central Germany.
(This article is provided by NewsCore, which aggregates news from around News Corporation.)

CIRCUS JUVENTAS....

Teen flies high with the circus

Olivia Rasmussen, 16, of Orono, keeps in shape through performing and learning at Circus Juventas.
By SHEILA ELDRED, Star Tribune
July 11, 2010
OPENING ACT In fifth grade, my whole class came to a show at Circus Juventas (youth circus). They announced anyone could sign up, and five of us started doing it. I got to say, "I'm part of the circus." I thought that was really awesome.
LETTING GO In that first class we did Spanish webs, juggling, tumbling, silks, low-wire and multiple and triple trapezes. I liked the aerial aspect. I used to be terrified of heights. The first time I was trying to fall off backwards from the bungee trapeze, I was just standing there. It was all in my head -- if I think too much, I can't let go. One of my friends said, "Think about jelly beans." I thought about it and it helped me relax and laugh, and I actually did let go that class.
THE ROUTINE Now I'm here five days a week, usually from 4 or 5 p.m. until 9:15. My favorite classes are silks, triangle trapeze and aerial hammock. All the things I do are aerial.

read more at:http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/98199269.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

CIRCUS JUVENTAS
Coming up: A production of "Sawdust," a salute to the origins of the modern-day circus.
When: July 29-Aug. 15
Where: Circus Juventas, 1270 Montreal Av., St. Paul.
Tickets: Available through Ticketworks at http://www.ticket/ works.com or 612-343-3390 or by calling Circus Juventas: 651-699-8229.
Cost: Adults $15-$25; ages 10 and under and 65 and older $12.50 to $25.
Website: http://www.circus/ juventas.org