The circus is coming to town.
The Carson & Barnes Circus will perform at the Lyon County Fairgrounds on Monday.
Sponsors say the circus, a fundraiser for the Hi-Noon Kiwanis Club, will offer attractions for people of all ages.
Proceeds from early ticket sales will benefit a number of youth programs of Lyon County and the surrounding area, including Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and Big Brothers Big Sisters. The Hi-Noon Kiwanis club also supports Abundant Harvest and buys books for the library through a program called the Power of One.
“This is the big fundraiser for Hi-Noon Kiwanis, and we do it every other year,” said club president Jean Tidwell, adding that organizing the event takes a lot of work from volunteers. “We have to secure the location for the circus and then try to sell as many advance tickets as we can.”
The group needs to sell advance tickets because proceeds from door sales won’t stay in the community.
“Last time we had a really big crowd there, but we didn’t get many pre-sold tickets as we wanted,” Tidwell said. “A lot of people bought at the door, and then we don’t get much of a return on those, so that’s why we want to get them pre-sold.”
Circus performances at schedules for 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The shows will open with a parade featuring local celebrities riding in on circus elephants. The early show will have this year’s Cinco de Mayo Queen, Savannah Rangel, 6, and King, Roberto Peralta, 8. The later show will feature Emporia State University baseball coach Bob Fornelli.
The circus also will feature all the trappings of the classic traveling tent circuses of the past, including the second largest herd of elephants in the United States and a zoo with over two dozen types of domestic and exotic animals. Artists from around the world will perform on the aerial trapeze and the high wire, and the shows also will include motorcycle acrobatic teams, jugglers, clowns and performing elephants, camels, dogs and horses.
This year’s show will feature the “King of Circus Comedy,” Freddy “Alex” Acero, a South American performer who will entertain with a comedy act on the trampoline.
The circus animals will be available for a free showing from 8 to 11 a.m. for those who wish to see them before the shows. Arrive early to see the animals up close and watch the elephants help to raise the big top.
Advance tickets for the circus are $12 for adults and $6 for children 11 and under. At the door, the tickets will be $18 for adults and $8 for children.
Advance tickets are available from any Hi-Noon Kiwanis Club member and at Reebles North, 1020 Merchant St., Reebles South, 115 Commercial St., Price Chopper, 2703 W. Highway 50, Flint Hills Technical College, 3301 W. 18th Ave., A-1 Staffing, 902 Commercial St., and the Lyon County State Bank’s west location at 12th Avenue and Industrial Road.
This year’s circus brings with it some controversy, as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has sent a letter to city commissioners urging them to enact legislation banning the use of bullhooks, electric prods and other devices “commonly used to inflict pain on elephants,” according to a press release from PETA.
“Bullhooks are cruel weapons of the circus trade that are routinely used to beat elephants into submission,” said PETA director Debbie Leahy. “Mayor Longbine and the city commission must send circuses the message that these instruments of torture will not be permitted in Emporia.”
madpoet (anonymous) says...
PETA needs to get a life. Send some more "humane fly traps" to someone or something. As if an elephant could be forced to do anything against its will by a puny human. Have they even seen this circus use anything like this? I plan on taking my son and I'll be sure to watch to see how full of crap PETA is this time. I've watched handlers work with elephants at the Wichita zoo just last month. They used a blunt stick to tap signals to them as part of their training. Get real, PETA!
July 8, 2009 at 1:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pollyanna (anonymous) says...
I fully agree with PETA's statements. Ever seen when elephants go crazy and take off sometimes trampling everything in its path?! Elephants are highly intelligent, emotionally sensitive, family centered mammals. They do not deserve to be paraded around a circle being forced to do random tricks. I went to one circus as a kid and remember bawling feeling so sorry for how the animals were exploited. It was the last circus I ever attended and I have never taken my kids to a circus. They can go if they want with someone else and make up their own minds! Too much stress for me! The clowns freak me out, I'm worried one of those trapeze people will miss and splat right in front of everyone and then the elephants will go crazy!!
July 8, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
PETA is trying to establish their own righteousness.
July 8, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
paulkersey (anonymous) says...
"Circus is coming to Emporia Monday"
Huh. I thought City Commission meetings were on Wednesdays...
July 8, 2009 at 1:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
ha ha ha paulkersey! Dead on there.
July 8, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
I was at this circus two years ago and I thought the animals seemed happier than the ones in the Shriners' Circus we attended a few months prior. Overall, I enjoyed this one more and I had to run out to my car to get something mid-show and had to go through the animals holding areas where they were content and snacking. I never heard even a harsh tone from their handlers much less see any tools of torture and they did not expect me to be walking through when I did.
We will be going again, this time with advance tickets--thanks for the info on that.
July 8, 2009 at 9:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
SimonRitchie (anonymous) says...
Madpoet, YES, PETA has seen this circus abusing elephants with bullhooks! They have a whole video of the circuses head animal 'trainer' beating the heck out of them, and a federal judge apparently ruled the actions which it documented to be clear violation of federal law! The nasty video is at circuses.com. STAY AWAY from the Carson & Barnes Circus!!
July 8, 2009 at 10:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bellabrooke (anonymous) says...
Coming to town? The town is a circus.
July 9, 2009 at 1 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gabby (anonymous) says...
Posted by Pollyanna (anonymous) on July 8, 2009 at 1:21 p.m.The clowns freak me out, I'm worried one of those trapeze people will miss and splat right in front of everyone and then the elephants will go crazy!!
Pollyanna...No offense intended, but you just painted a visual that made me laugh out loud (for real)... :-)
If you tell your kids what you posted, I'm sure they won't ever go to a circus, or see a clown, or someone swinging on a trapeze without worrying about stampeding elephants.
Isn't there anyone out there that can put a disclaimer on this forum,or in the newspaper, so Pollyanna could try the circus one more time..with her kids?
July 9, 2009 at 2:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
The last circus I took my children to here in town was fairly small. They were giving elephant rides on this small elephant, if I remember it correctly I think he was just a baby. He didn't look terribly happy going round and round in the very small area they were using. I did witness one of the workers getting fairly agitated with the elephant because it did not want to go around anymore. I was worried his mother might not like how her baby was being treated. I wouldn't allow my kids to have a ride for a couple of reasons. One being that it just seemed so cruel, and the other that I didn't want to witness nor instigate an elephant uprising. I felt horrible for that poor animal and was sure that someday one of those elephants were sure to be one of those that just finally gets fed up and goes on a rampage.
I won't take my kids to another circus containing animals, it's cruel and dangerous.
People can walk away from that job if they choose to, the animals have no choice, even though you can clearly see sometimes that they would if they could.
July 9, 2009 at 4:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Pollyanna (anonymous) says...
Glad to see my "sad at circus" peeps making a showing! I was beginning to feel like I was the only soft heart out there! hahaha.
Gabby: glad you took my comments humorously..they were inteded that way. However, I stay strong in the "I'm not going to the circus" stand!! It would be a waste of money..two kiddos with "deer in the headlights" look on their faces and an anxious mother with her hands over her eyes!!
They can just complain to a therapist in the next 20 years on all they "missed out" in their childhood!! I can already hear it.. "and mom never took us to the circus!!..."
July 9, 2009 at 4:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gabby (anonymous) says...
Well seriously Pollyanna, I like the Circus, but I do feel bad about mistreating any animal.
I was involved with a Circus, fundraiser, a few years ago, in another State, and when PETA got involved, the managers for the Circus posted a disclaimer, saying they did not use, or support the use of, any abusive techniques in training the animals..(including elephants)..and, it was posted with their ad in the newspaper.
That's why I was asking about the discalmer.
I know, I know, you still won't go!
July 9, 2009 at 8:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gabby (anonymous) says...
p.s...that's disclaimer :-).....and, it wasn't the same Circus as the one in Emporia...so, they might not be willing to do that.
July 9, 2009 at 8:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
orangecountry (anonymous) says...
PETA has no clue. PETA also thinks that ranchers abuse their animals by giving them vaccinations. Uggg I detest PETA they are a bunch of city folk who have probably never even had a backyard. Why don't we quit giving these people any attention at all. That is all they are seeking. Sure don't see them cleaning dog doo at the Humane Society.......
And geeze lady you are going to raise two very socially awkward kids, take them to the circus, have some cotton candy and quit making everything an issue.
And ANY parent with any common sense at all wouldn't put their child on an elephant, that advice was given to me by a zoo director. Duh they weigh how much, and their form of defense is either 1. stomping your head like a grape or 2. doing a headstand on your head.
July 21, 2009 at 2:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
One time at the Renaissance festival they were giving kids elephant rides. I got some cute pics of the kids on an elephant. I think kids riding elephants is ok but I would never have an elephant ride my kids. Cuz gravity works.
July 21, 2009 at 2:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )