Searcy will host the Garden Bros Circus at the White County Fairgrounds on Feb. 21.
The circus has over 60 cast members from 18 countries. Each 90-minute show is in a theatrical European three-ring style. Acts include trapeze artists, elephants, contortionists, clowns, jugglers, motor-cycle acrobats and horse riders. The show’s jugglers appeared on “America’s Got Talent.”
“We chose to come to Searcy because we have built a great rapport with them over the last several years,” a spokesperson from Garden Bros Circus Co. said. “We love to see the awe in our crowd’s faces with all the acts we bring to town.”
The circus began by contacting fairgrounds manager Cookie Jackson who booked the venue and set the date.
“We perform at 280 different locations each year. There is no other circus group that performs at that many places,” executive director Jim Davis said. “Searcy is a great place because not all people want to drive to a big city.”
Garden Bros will be the first live circus senior Rachel Shearon has attended. She is looking forward to experience.
“I have always had misconceptions about what a circus even is, but now that it’s coming to Searcy, I’m excited to see it,” Shearon said. “This is an event that students may not have an opportunity to see very often.”
The experience is also new to senior Nathan House.
“Though I’ve never actually been to a circus, people have told me all my life that I should be in a circus,” House said. “I’ve always imagined circuses as places where acrobats do crazy things like ride on elephants and jump into a pool of sharks.”
Shearon’s interest began after watching P.T. Barnum’s circus on the big screen.
“Ever since I saw ‘The Greatest Showman,’ I have really been wanting to go to a circus,” Shearon said. “That movie was very inspiring, and I would love to see how a real-life circus experience measures up.”
House anticipates extraordinary acts and believes that Harding students should consider attending.
“Harding students should consider going because it provides a unique experience about things you don’t see in everyday life,” House said.
The circus will perform two shows beginning at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Adult tickets sell for $12.50. The circus will be performing in other locations in Arkansas, including Little Rock, Fayetteville and Fort Smith. Learn more at www.gardenbroscircus.com.
