ERIE, PA

1860's-styled Circus Part of Drake Day Celebration

 

From:  yourerie.com
08/19/2013
On Saturday, August 24, Drake Well Museum and the Friends of Drake Well, Inc. will host the Drake Day Circus from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $10.00 for adults, $8.00 for seniors (65+ years) and $5.00 for children (3-11 years). Families will be able to take advantage of the event’s Special Family Rate, up to 2 adults and 3 children for only $20.00.
According to Museum Site Administrator Melissa Mann, the Drake Day Circus is modeled on circuses that traveled to Titusville, Pithole and other locations throughout Pennsylvania’s oil region during the 1860s. “The idea for this year’s annual Drake Day celebration came straight out of historic sources housed in our archive. We plan to replicate the excitement of an oil boom era circus by filling the museum’s grounds with circus entertainers, animals and other acts sure to delight and fascinate,” said Mann.
A professional circus troupe from Bacchanal Promotions (Detroit, MI) will headline the museum’s Drake Day event, performing acts of juggling, fire eating, acrobatics, magic and more. Signature circus performances will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. with various strolling performances occurring throughout the day.
The Drake Day Circus will also feature a petting zoo and camel rides furnished by Living Treasures Animal Park, nineteenth century games and music, a juggling school, an antique photography booth, artisan demonstrations, and historical re-enactors. In addition, visitors will enjoy the tales of acclaimed storyteller Bill Stumpf, art activities sponsored by the Titusville Council on the Arts, a vintage band organ provided by DeBence Antique Music World, food booths operated by the Titusville Historical Society and the Titusville Lions Club and of course, all of Drake Well Museum’s interior and exterior petroleum history exhibits.
The Drake Day Circus is sponsored by PIOGA, Wilmoth Interests, Steptoe & Johnson, Farmers National Bank, Huntington Bank, Minard Run Oil Company, Stifel Nicolaus, Glenn Weaver & Son and Allegheny Well Service.
Located off Route 8 south of Titusville, Drake Well Museum is open year round. Summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. Drake Well Museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in partnership with Friends of Drake Well, Inc. and is part of the Pennsylvania Trails of History® (www.PATrailsofHistory.com).
For more information about the Drake Day Circus or other museum programs, visit www.drakewell.org, call (814) 827-2797, or find us on Facebook at Drake Well Museum.