THE BALLOON MAN

Circus won't be coming to a nearby town
from:  myrecordjournal.com
by Savannah Mul
June 14, 2013
SOUTHINGTON,CT — In March, town officials were working with their counterparts in Meriden to get the Cole Bros. Circus to continue performing in the area.

But the proposed site in Southington “just isn’t feasible for the circus,” said Dawn Miceli, a Southington town councilor.

The circus had been performing summer shows at the Hub site in downtown Meriden, but construction plans made that unfeasible this year. The Southington Drive-In, which is owned by the town, was considered as an alternative location.

“We were going to help Meriden out and do our due diligence to try and make it happen,” Miceli said. “But unfortunately we couldn’t do it.”

The circus would need a 300-by-400 foot space for the tents, vehicles and animal cages.
“There is a football field or a multipurpose field on that property and it’s not able to have anything on it, let alone, tents and elephants walking around,” Miceli said.

Miceli said there probably was room for the tents, but accommodating all the cars would be a problem. A worker from the Cole Bros. Circus came out with Miceli to evaluate the property.

“He came to see the property and said it’s not large enough for the needs of the circus,” she said.

The Cole Bros. Circus brings a lot of equipment into town, said Renee Story, Cole Bros. vice president of administration.

“It’s simply because the property was not large enough,” he said. “The area wouldn’t accommodate parking very well and unfortunately it wasn’t a suitable location.”

Cole Bros. will be performing June 26 and 27 at the showgrounds across from Bristol City Hall, with performances at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.