- Shrine Circus
The Shrine Circus is a
circus founded in theUnited States in 1906. It travels to roughly 120 cities per year in the United States and a separate unit travels to about 40 inCanada .History
The first Shrine Circus was held in
Detroit, Michigan , for the Moslem Shrine Center. There is a State historical marker at the former site which proclaims its contribution to circus history.The circus was originally a one-ring affair, but by 1925 it had grown to three rings. Despite now traveling to many cities, the Detroit affair is still the largest. In 1996, it ran for 17 days with 40 performances making it not only the oldest Shrine Circus, but also the most attended.
By the 1920s Shrine Circuses were being conducted throughout the country, and each year additional Shrine Centers introduced circuses to their communities. The first Shrine Circus each year is usually in
Flint, Michigan , each January. The circus then travels to at least one city per week through November. The last performances are usually being heldThanksgiving week inEvansville, Indiana , andNew Orleans, Louisiana . The 2005 season ended inBaton Rouge, Louisiana , rather than New Orleans, due toHurricane Katrina .The circus is dedicated to raising money to support the
Shriners Hospitals for Children .The term "Shrine Circus" is usually prefaced by the name of the host Shrine in each geographic area. Over the years many circus stars have appeared in Shrine Circuses, including:Clyde Beatty , the Wallendas,Emmett Kelly , theFlying Concellos , the Hannefords and the Zacchinis.External links
* [http://www.shrinecircus.com United States circus]
* [http://www.shrine-circus.com Canada circus]
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