Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have 3 different versions crisscrossing the country and the theme for Richmond this year is “Legends” and if you’re a super circus fan, you can also catch Circus Xtreme as they pass through Norfolk in April.

We made sure to get there about an hour early (highly recommended), since there is an exciting and free All-Access Pre-Show down on the arena floor, offering about 45 minutes to an hour of fun and interaction with circus performers: clowns, photo ops and even some animals. There were even several opportunities for kids to participate! Our daughter and son decided to observe but really got a kick out of watching the other kids “perform”.

They asked everyone to clear the floor shortly before 7pm and we made our way to our seats, which were already filled by a very cute family who promptly told us they knew they were in the wrong place. Long story short, we ended up swapping with them and moved up several rows, just three rows from the ring! The kids thought it was a very cool upgrade.

The show started in usual fashion with the Star Spangled Banner and a parade of animals and performers gearing up to excite and entertain. I’ve only been to a few circus’s as an adult, but the opening never fails to activate the kid in me.

Once the show gets started, it never lets up, at least until the intermission, but then they’re right back at it; performing and mesmerizing until the end.

This is your quintessential circus, the kind you think of when someone says the word: a sequined larger than life Ring Master, tons of clowns and their shenanigans, elephants, dancing dogs, lion tamers and acts of unimaginable human balance and strength.

Highlights for us were the Globe of Steel and the eight, full grown men and their – albeit less than fullsize – motorcycles, crammed into that cage and whirring around at crazy speeds without incident. I wonder how many emergency room visits are required to earn your spot on the team?

Another favorite and heavily featured is the China Acrobatic Troupe. Their incredible acrobatic feats are not to be missed and include the men’s hoop diving and pole jumping and the incredible young women performing a Diabolo “ballet” which will have you mesmerized. If you don’t know what a Diabolo is, you’ll just have to go to the circus and find out!

Of course, one of the kids’ favorites were the performing dogs, and our son’s favorite, performing pigs! For them, nothing beat the hilarity of a Chihuahua and Jack Russell dancing, jumping and fumbling around for laughs. The performance included some very talented poodles, goats, llamas, donkeys and even a couple of kangaroos.

I happen to like the big cats and, honestly, there were a couple of times when I thought the lion would come out on top after all. At one point the “lion tamer” was backed up against the cage by an aggressively advancing lion, and maybe it was staged, but it definitely got my heart thumping, umm and not at all rooting for the lion.

And despite all the controversy regarding the elephants and no matter where you stand on the issue, it is definitely an experience seeing them up close and personal. I for one am glad they will be phased out over the next couple of years and think it was a wise decision. Now perhaps they can concentrate on the conservation of Asian Elephants without the poor karma surrounding their use in shows.

There is so much more to the circus and so many other incredible acts, that you’re really just going to have to go check it out. Be warned though, the concessions are out in full force, both stationary and mobile, so either make sure you’re equipped to concede to your kids’ non-stop requests or lay down the law before arriving!

We thoroughly enjoyed our night out and recommend that you grab some tickets if it’s your kind of thing or if you’ve never been before. I’ll take any opportunity to feel like a kid again!

Like this article? You may also be interested in:

Ringling Bros. is Listening to Audiences and Phasing Out Elephants by 2018

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS

Read more Real Richmond Reviews

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus were provided by Feld Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are purely my own.

Basketballers on unicycles!

You’ve probably heard that the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus is in town! My family (me,my husband, our 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son) were lucky enough to go on opening night with a friend and her daughter. The theme this year is “Built to Amaze” and I will say, it definitely delivers on the amazement! The show was about 2 and a half hours (counting intermission) and was jam-packed with one act (or more!) after another.

Every time I go to the circus, I’m reminded of just how fun it is. It really did make me feel like a kid again, and people all around us – of all ages (as they say) were having a great time.  My friend was almost giddy, saying “I just love stilts!” and I even caught my husband really enjoying himself!

“Pink vs. Blue” tightrope act!

My favorite acts were those in which people demonstrated their very impressive talents. In one, a man and woman swung from the ceiling, performing mid-air acrobats (and used their teeth!). In another act called “pink versus blue”, two male/female pairs performed unimaginable feats of strength. Maybe one of my favorites was a new act I’d never seen before involving a trampoline. You’ll have to go to the show to see what I’m talking about!

My kids were mesmerized almost the whole time, which is saying something! My son (age 3) loved the fact that the theme centered around building and construction, with all of the opening performers wearing hard hats, using tools and driving a dump truck. He also loved “the flipping” parts of the show, and the part where basketball players rode unicycles, he said. My daughter just stared the whole time, in wonder. I could see the wheels turning in her brain like, “How do they do that?”

Beautiful tigers.

The animals, as always, were the clear stars of the show. Acts featured majestic elephants (who dance!), beautiful tigers, intelligent, adorable poodles, graceful horses and more.

Speaking of animals, if you go, be prepared for animal cruelty protesters outside; you may have to explain that to your kids.

Some of the acts may be a bit distressing to little ones.  In one act, two clowns pretend to do magic and make bunnies disappear, and then pretend to feed the bunnies to a snake (but it has a happy ending!). Ringling Bros. also seemed to give a clever nod to controversy with another clown act involving a fur coat… I won’t spoil that one for you.

If you go, plan to get their 30-45 minutes early to enjoy the pre-show (which we unfortunately missed!).  Keep in mind that you have to pay for parking ($8 across the street). Also, the pricey souvenirs are out in force so plan for that as well. The 7:00 show was a late night for our little ones, but there are several weekend shows as well.  And don’t forget – have fun (as if you have a choice!).

“How do they do that?”

http://www.ringling.com

It’s always hard to tell who has more fun at the circus – the kids or the adults. And this year’s circus is no different. Built to Amaze is truly AMAZING!

Whether you’re looking for laughter, suspense, strength, or agility – you’ll find it at this year’s circus right here in Richmond, Virginia. The circus has so much going on at such a rapid rate of speed, you’ll have to try hard to take in as much as possible. Acrobats hanging from the ceiling, animals parading around, and of course those ever-loving hilarious clowns.

And this year’s circus includes some incredible feats of both animals and humans!

First, you have to meander your way through the incredible selections of glow-in-the-dark lights, light-up swords, delicious buckets of popcorn, mega boxes of candy, and other fabulous treats. Once you’ve made your choices, it’s off to the seats to prepare for the entry of the guests of honor – the animals. If you were lucky enough to arrive early, you might have met the performers (animal and human) up close!

Built to Amaze is an incredible display of talent and entertainment with powerful music that gets everyone excited and the crowd is clapping to the beat. A few rounds of laughs with the crazy clowns is enough to have even the 3-year old on the floor. And of course, the incredible dare-devil acts have everyone on the edge of their seats. Riding a bike on a tightrope is always a little tense – and that’s for the audience. Imagine how tense it must be for the bike riders!

Our very own Circus clown!

It all comes down to precision that makes it all work together – that’s what keeps us all on the edge of our seats.

Built to Amaze has incorporated lots of building (construction) aspects into this year’s show too, including the mini construction trucks splattered with paint – what fun. A fun round of construction antics with the clowns is also entertaining. And the basketball game on unicycles is a real point of entertainment and athleticism – – they really stole the show with this creative act.

Lumbering elephants, playful tigers, prancing horses, and more animals were obviously ready to entertain. But who knew that poodles would steal the show for some of us?  And don’t  miss the bunnies and snakes – yep, bunnies and snakes in the circus!

If you’re looking for an incredibly entertaining and exciting weekend, then head out to the Richmond Coliseum to enjoy Built to Amaze. You’ll be talking about it for days afterward.

For a preview – check out this video: