As a professional fire eater, the number one question I am asked by audience members is, “Where the hell did you learn how to do that?” Well I, like most fire performers I know, learned from trusted friends who had been carrying on these traditions and it’s not always easy to find such friends out [...]
Oh, the joys of sibling rivalry in a wealthy, circus family! Check out this recent Associated Press release highlighting the ongoing war between Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey CEO Kenneth Feld and his sister: WASHINGTON – The feud between the scions of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus erupted into profane shouting [...]
Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the disastrous Coney Island Dreamland fire, a devastating event that forced the park to close its doors permanently. According to Wikipedia: On the night before opening day [for the 2011 season], a concession called Hell Gate, in which visitors took a boat ride on rushing waters through dim caverns, [...]
Gail Myers Pare of Newington, New Hampshire is looking to uncover a piece of her family’s past through an old pocket watch, engraved with cryptic circus insignia. At one time, this watch belonged to her grandfather, Paul R. Myers. Gail knows relatively little about her grandfather, aside from the fact that he claimed to have [...]
Now through October 30, Vermont’s Shelburne Museum is exhibiting Behind the Lens, Under the Big Top: The Circus Photography of Elliot Fenander. This collection is born of the “1,500 mostly black and white negatives recently donated to Shelburne Museum by photographer Elliot Fenander. Taken in the late 1960s, Fenander’s photographs document the circus during a [...]
“You’ve missed ‘em! You’ve longed for ‘em! You’ve begged for ‘em! That’s right Ladies and Gents! Step right up and WELCOME THE WEIRD back to The Red Palace and celebrate the return of James Taylor’s Oddities Collection!” -WELCOME THE WEIRD When Washington DC’s Palace of Wonders was purchased by The Red & The Black next [...]
“In spite of their obvious dangers, fire acts are among the longest-running in show business.” -Ricky Jay, Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women, p. 273 For contemporary audiences, fire performance likely conjures up images of poi spinners, flaming hula hoops and fire eating. While the aforementioned disciplines have survived the centuries, there are many other [...]
Mark: [mahrk] – noun A townie or rube that is singled out as an easy target; often times, a mark is naive and has a fat wallet. Where did this phrase come from, you may ask? Well, of course, as with most carnie lingo, there’s a fantastic back story. According to goodmagic.com, When a carny [...]
Alright you crafters out there; I know how much you love the exalted Mod Podge, and I’ve recently stumbled across an awesome little project that will satisfy your love of carnival aesthetics. Introducing the Glittery Carnival Ticket Bowl! All you need is: Ticket roll Hard Coat Mod Podge FolkArt Extreme Glitter (optional) Paintbrush Felt – [...]
The Wallenda family legacy has long been cemented in the circus industry and now, Nik Wallenda is taking his talents out of the Big Top and into other venues. This Saturday, Nik is scheduled to perform two sensational stunts in the New Braunfels Schlitterbahn Waterpark: 1) Fire Slide – 12 pm While on fire, Nik [...]