THE BALLOON MAN

Cole Bros. Circus kicks off new season in DeLand

Princess Vicenta Pages and Her White Tigers are part of the 2014 edition of the Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars. The circus opens its new season Saturday March 15 and Sunday March 16 with performances in DeLand.

Photo provided by Cole Bros. Circus.

By Rick de Yampert

March 14, 2014

The DeLand-based Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars, which bills itself as “the world’s largest circus under the big top,” will launch its 130th season this weekend.

The circus, which traces its roots to 1884, features such acts as Princess Vicenta Pages and Her White Tigers, the Human Cannonball, elephants including the babies Val and Hugo, the Ponce Family Angels of the Air on the flying trapeze, the Fassio Family and their Cavalcade of Captivating Canines (including Afghans, Borzois and a “mighty Chihuahua”), the ThunderDrome Moto Chamber of Danger, acrobats, aerialists, clowns and more.

The Cole Bros. Circus will perform at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday March 15 and 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday March 16 at the DeLand Airport Showgrounds, at the intersection of East International Speedway Boulevard (U.S. 92) and Flightline Drive, DeLand.

Advance general admission tickets for each show are $16 adults and children ages 2 to 12, with reserved seats an additional $4 each and VIP seats an additional $7 each. Advance tickets are available at JC’s Bikes & Boards, 345 S. Woodland Blvd., DeLand; online at gotothecircus.com or by calling 888-332-5200.

General admission tickets on day of show are $21 adults, $16 children ages 2-12, with reserved seats an additional $4 each and VIP seats an additional $7 each.

Coupons for free general admission tickets for children ages 2 to 12 (with paid adult) are available at MainStreet DeLand and other West Volusia merchants, or online at gotothecircus.com. There is a limit of two free children per paid adult.