The Shrine Circus
is a circus founded in the United States in 1906. It travels to roughly 120 cities per year in the United States and a separate unit travels to about 40 in Canada. It is affiliated with the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a.k.a. Shriners.
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SHRINE CIRCUS TICKETS
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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 held
Thanksgiving week in
Evansville, Indiana, and
New Orleans, Louisiana. The 2005 season ended in
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, rather than New Orleans, due to
Hurricane Katrina.
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, the
Flying Concellos, the Hannefords and the Zacchinis.