Circus comes to Du Quoin
An acrobat performs during the Ainad Shriner's Circus Saturday, June 8, 2013, in Du Quoin, Ill. (Steve Matzker / The Southern)
from: thesouthern.com
BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, The Southern
June 9, 2013
DU QUOIN — In his introductory remarks Saturday at Du Quoin State Fairgrounds grandstand, General Circus Chairman Bill Rei-delberger of Ainad Shriners Circus commented about the turnout.
“This is the 10th scheduled performance this year, and it’s the largest crowd we’ve had,” Reidelberger said.
The audience that numbered in the thousands was soon enjoying an opening act with tigers hopping around different platforms and doing other tricks.
An aerial extravaganza followed with six women performing on ropes and horizontal bars at great heights.
Circus performances began about a week earlier in Bellville and followed with performances in Waterloo, Jerseyville, Olney and Salem before the show arrived Saturday in Du Quoin.
“It means a lot to the communities where the circus performs. We get people now who are in the third generation of people who have seen a Shriners circus,” said circus spokesman John Blandell.
An acrobat performs during the Ainad Shriner's Circus Saturday, June 8, 2013, in Du Quoin, Ill. (Steve Matzker / The Southern)
from: thesouthern.com
BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, The Southern
June 9, 2013
DU QUOIN — In his introductory remarks Saturday at Du Quoin State Fairgrounds grandstand, General Circus Chairman Bill Rei-delberger of Ainad Shriners Circus commented about the turnout.
“This is the 10th scheduled performance this year, and it’s the largest crowd we’ve had,” Reidelberger said.
The audience that numbered in the thousands was soon enjoying an opening act with tigers hopping around different platforms and doing other tricks.
An aerial extravaganza followed with six women performing on ropes and horizontal bars at great heights.
Circus performances began about a week earlier in Bellville and followed with performances in Waterloo, Jerseyville, Olney and Salem before the show arrived Saturday in Du Quoin.
“It means a lot to the communities where the circus performs. We get people now who are in the third generation of people who have seen a Shriners circus,” said circus spokesman John Blandell.
'Spanky' the clown watches the performers with Jaycee Bezar, left, and Abby Towell during the Shriner's Circus Saturday, June 8, 2013, in DuQuoin, Ill. (Steve Matzker / The Southern)
Before the show began, 4-year-old Charity Alvey rode one of the elephants with her mother,Christina Alvey, both of Ava.
“It was weird. You can still feel the elephant’s spine through all the padding,” Alvey said, noting Charity rode a show pony earlier and a camel at an earlier circus.
Circus ringmaster and trainer George Hanniford said the show elephants, Cindy and Janice, are each 40-year-old Asian elephants. They are transported by semi-trucks for their performances three months annually.
Circus site chairman Denver Tolbert said the performance in the grandstand was a homecoming of sorts. The circus had been held at the grandstand before relocating to the nearby Southern Illinois Center a few years earlier.
“We try to offer family entertainment at community prices,” Tolbert said.
Ainad Potentate Mike Grafe said Ainad’s annual circus, now in its 47th year, is the organization’s main fundraising event of the year.
He said Shriner officers were projecting $12,000 to $15,000 gate revenues for each show in the state fairgrounds grandstand. Pro-ceeds benefit Ainad Shriners operations with most of the money going toward Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis.
The Ainad Shriners is a Masonic fraternal organization with more than 4,000 members throughout Southern Illinois.
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/circus-comes-to-du-quoin/article_60f51392-d0c2-11e2-82d5-0019bb2963f4.html
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