When Is World Circus Day: World Circus Day is held every year on April 17 to honor circus artists, actors, and people who have come up with new ideas. This holiday tries to teach more people about the wonderful world of circus arts, which is one of the most loved and well-known forms of entertainment. The goal of the day is to bring attention to and appreciation for everyone who works in the circus by highlighting their craft, abilities, and skills.
People who work in the circus, both experienced performers and newcomers, can enjoy their dedication and hard work on World Circus Day. Today is a celebration of their gifts to the arts and of the fact that mastering circus arts takes years of hard work and training. In addition to letting them be known, it helps them make money, bring people together, and become an important part of the entertainment world. Today, we honor the people who created the circus and recognize their important impact on the performing arts business.
History of World Circus Day
Some historians think that the first circus shows happened in Ancient Rome, but they are still determining where the circus really came from. When the Circus Maximus was built in the Old Kingdom, it was the first public show that wasn’t based on gender. It was the setting for famous shows like Circus Neronis, Circus Flaminius, and Circus of Maxentius, and at least 250,000 people could sit down and watch each show.
Philip Astley did the first horse riding tricks in Lambeth, London, in the 18th century. This was the start of the modern circus age. Back then, it was an arena called “Circle,” but now it’s called “Circus.” In 1781, Joseph Grimaldi became famous as Little Clown in plays like “Harlequin’s Wedding” and “The Triumph of Mirth.” He was the first well-known clown. Astley’s circus did very well in Europe, which led to the building of 18 more stadiums.
On April 3, 1793, John Bill Ricketts opened the Circus of Pepin and Breschard, which was the first modern circus in the country. This circus group went from Montreal to Havana in the early 1700s. Joshua Purdy changed circus settings when he brought in big tents in 1835. Thomas Taplin Cooke later brought this idea to England because it was flexible and useful.
Modern circuses started to grow in Australia, Canada, France, and the UK in the 1970s. With theater, stunts, and traditional acts, these circuses told interesting stories. The modern circus as we know it today changed a lot during this time of revolution. In 2010, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco made April 17 World Circus Day to honor the circus arts’ place in our culture. This is an interesting event.
World Circus Day timeline
The Start of the Modern Circus: In 1768, Philip Astley built the “Circle” theater, which was later changed to “Circus,” so that people in the crowd could take part in horse shows.
The first well-known clown, Little Clown, was introduced by Joseph Grimaldi in his 1781 show “The Triumph of Mirth” or “Harlequin’s Wedding.”
The History of the American Circus, 1793
When John Bill Ricketts started the Circus of Pepin and Breschard, he started the circus practice in the United States.
How Tents Were Used in 1835
Joshua Purdy adds a new character to the circus by being the first person to make big tents the standard place for shows.
The 1970s were the golden age of the modern circus.
The modern circus age brings a new era of circus entertainment with its mix of drama, stunts, and traditional circus arts used to show ideas and tell stories.
World Circus Day Activities
Take part in the Folklife Festival at the Smithsonian.
In the US, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., is a well-known event that honors World Circus Day. Join a lively and fun program that mixes circus skills and stunt shows. It will be an unforgettable experience for you and your family.
Support attempts to raise money.
Show your support for circus artists by taking part in events that raise money for good causes. The Central Ring Fundraiser is an event that happens every year to give back to the circus community and support funding programs and training for students.
Take a look at Catalonia.
Take part in a one-of-a-kind celebration of World Circus Day in Catalonia, Spain. Fifty shows are held in this area in towns like Sabadell, Tiana, Berga, Barcelona, Mataró, and more. On this special day, enjoy all that Catalonia has to offer in terms of circus shows and events.
About World Circus Day
Today is World Circus Day, a day to celebrate how beautiful and unique circus acts are. Everywhere in the world, the coming of the circus has always been a big deal. The big tent, exciting shows with lions, elephants, death-defying acrobatics, sword swallowers, and, of course, the famous clowns make it feel like a carnival. People of all ages have been having fun with this for years in both big and small towns.
Traditional circus shows are still going strong in many parts of the world, but they are less famous in the US. Throughout the 1800s, the circus came to many towns, and people loved it. But in the last few decades, the American circus scene has become less active. The circus is losing popularity because of protests by animal rights groups, fewer people going to see it, and higher costs to run it.
The Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, which has been called “The Greatest Show on Earth” since 1919, had a moving closing show on October 6, 2018. This was the end of an era that made circus fans sad and nostalgic and gave clowns across the country a sad look on their faces. Even with these changes, World Circus Day tells us how circuses have always been a source of wonder and joy for people all over the world.
HOW TO OBSERVE WorldCircusDay
Everywhere in the world today, you can find a show. The Florida Circus Arts Conservatory also has a lot of different events, such as showings of old circus films, a buffet with circus-themed food, and educational lessons for both adults and kids.
Go to a nearby circus with family and friends and make it a game to see who can name the different types of circus performers. Maybe you should watch the movie “The Circus” or read about the lives of famous circus artists like Isaac Van Amburgh (also known as “The Great Lion Tamer”), Annie Oakley (also known as “The Peerless Lady Wing-Shot”), and Dan Rice (also known as “The King of American Clowns”).
To join in the fun, use the hashtag #WorldCircusDay to share your best circus photos or memories on social media. Today is a time to celebrate the wide range of circus artists’ skills and the long past of circuses by exploring their exciting world.
What is World Circus Day?
Celebrated on the third Saturday each April, World Circus Day is a special day to celebrate Circus Arts and Culture.
World Circus Day is an annual event that takes place on the third Saturday in April to honor circus arts and culture. The event is planned for April 15, 2023, this year. Because of the current violence in Ukraine, all circuses are being asked to use World Circus Day to raise money for circuses and circus schools there. The European Circus Association (ECA) will make it easy for people to send money to partners in Ukraine they can trust.
Online registration is required for anyone who wants to take part in World Circus Day. Visit the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque for more details. The goal of this project is to help people who have been touched by the situation in Ukraine and bring joy to the circus community around the world.
What was the first circus called?
The Royal Circus
The Royal Circus was opened in London on 4 November 1782 by Charles Dibdin (who coined the term “circus”), aided by his partner Charles Hughes, an equestrian performer.
Charles Dibdin started the Royal Circus, which opened in London on November 4, 1782, with the help of his partner, horse artist Charles Hughes. The story goes that Charles Dibdin came up with the word “circus.” Philip Astley, another famous circus performer, opened the Amphitheater Anglais in Paris that same year.
Because of this, France built its first purpose-built circus. After that, 18 more permanent circuses were set up in places across Europe. A man from Italy named Antonio Franconi rented the first circus, Astley’s, in Paris in 1793. There were big changes in the world when the first circus started in 1826 with a big canvas top.
Who is the famous circus?
And Barnum & Bailey Circus, American circus that was the best-known traveling circus in the United States in the 20th and early 21st centuries.
A circus’s image is affected by many things, such as its history, new ideas, production value, themes, stories, awards, praise from critics, the skill of its performers, it’s branding, it’s marketing, and more.
Here is a list of the most famous circuses in the world:
Clifford E. Vargas started Circus Vargas in the middle of the 1960s. It is one of the few circuses that acts under a tent, also known as a “big top.”
Cirque du Soleil (Canada): Cirque du Soleil is based in Montreal, Quebec, and is the biggest theater company in the world. It puts on shows that feature a lot of different types of circus art from around the world.
Cirque Fernando, a traveling circus family from the UK, and the Robert Austen Brothers, a traveling circus family from France, came together in Paris to form Cirque Medrano. Before it was changed to Medrano, it was called Robert Austen’s Mediterranean Circus.
The United States’ Circus Contraption is a comedy, dark cabaret, and circus group based in Seattle, Washington. The band was started in 1998, plays original music live, and sells CDs with their songs on them.
Which is the largest circus in India?
Shankaran’s Jumbo Circus, “The Pride of India,” opened its doors on October 2, 1977, in Dhanapur, in the state of Bihar (in Eastern India). It is probably the best known, and the largest circus in India—a modern enterprise that, since its inception, had included a important traveling menagerie.
“The Pride of India,” M. V. Shankaran’s Jumbo Circus, opened for the first time on October 2, 1977, in Dhanapur, Bihar, in the eastern part of India. The Shankaran family owns this show, which is one of the biggest and best-known in India.
With a big traveling collection, Jumbo Circus has been a cutting-edge business for a long time. A Russian performance group was recently added to Jumbo Circus, which is part of the Shankaran family’s circus conglomerate that also owns Gemini Circus. The circus has changed over the years.
Why is it called circus?
The circus is of comparatively recent origin, yet certain elements can be traced back to ancient Rome. The great Roman amphitheatres—called circuses after the Latin word for “circle”—were most often devoted to gladiatorial combats, chariot races, the slaughter of animals, mock battles, and other blood sports.
Some parts of the modern circus go back to the time of the Roman Empire, even though the circus itself is fairly new. As the word “circus” comes from the Latin word for “circle,” these were the main places where blood sports like gladiator fights, chariot races, animal sacrifices, and fake battles took place. One of the most beautiful of these venues, the Circus Maximus, was used for more than a thousand years. Traditions like pre-show parades and trained animals are based on these shows, even though they look very different from what we see today.
Aside from Rome, acts from many other past cultures have influenced modern circus shows. For example, acrobatics, juggling, and balance acts have been around for a long time. Demonstrations of these skills can be traced back to around 2500 BCE in Egypt. The Greeks did rope dancing, and early African cultures did siricasi, which is a mix of traditional dances and gymnastics. For the royal court in China, people put on acrobatic shows and juggled. Since the beginning of time, clowns have been an important part of the circus. They have been in farces and performed on their own in different cultures and times.
Princess Stephanie of Monaco made a big difference in the circus business. And to show how much she cared about this cause, she made October 10 World Circus Day. The main goal of this work was to make people more aware of how important the circus is as an important part of our shared cultural heritage.
Princess Stephanie wanted World Circus Day to be more than just a party. She also wanted people to know about and value the circus’s important cultural accomplishments. By making this a holiday, she hoped to bring more attention to and respect for the creativity, skill, and hard work of people who work in the circus business. Princess Stephanie’s vision and drive made it possible for circus artists, inventors, and actors to be known all over the world. World Circus Day shows how dedicated she is to protecting and improving the circus’s cultural importance.