Smirkus @ Champlain Valley Expo
Smirkus Big Top @ Champlain Valley Expo in Essex, VT.
We’ve hit the road! We’ve completed our first “jump”* of the season, and are ready for packed shows here in Essex, VT today, tomorrow & Sunday!
Our new but temporary “home” is the Champlain Valley Expo, “Vermont’s Community Events Facility.” Formed as a non-profit in 1922, this organization’s mission is to promote agriculture, education, commerce, arts and culture in Vermont, and it does so by hosting dozens of events: the Vermont Quilt Festival, the Champlain Valley Fair, and concerts by performers including the likes of Justin Bieber and Peter Frampton. Life in Vermont would be very different without CVE. Circus Smirkus is proud to perform here.
Tom Oddy, director of special events at the Expo, tells us he “looks forward to presenting Circus Smirkus each year because of the energy that the very talented troupers bring to making this a first class family entertainment event.”
The crew arrived on the grounds on Monday, July 2 after executing the first “tear down” of the Big Top following our two opening shows Sunday, July 1, at Smirkus HQ in Greensboro. Due to the holiday, we’ve had a relatively leisurely three-day jump.* The troupers arrived yesterday, after some well-deserved time off swimming and relaxing, plus a stint marching (or, more accurately, unicycling and juggling) in the Montpelier Independence Day parade. They got here just about in time for Mother Nature to send greetings, via the thunderstorm and high winds. Thanks to the efforts of the tent crew – and everyone pitching in – we weathered it just fine, thank you. We’re all raring to go for six shows here at CVE.
Shows are at noon & 6:30 pm today, tomorrow and Saturday and tickets are selling out FAST! To order, call 877-SMIRKUS (877-764-7587) or visit smirkus.org.
Look for us July 9 & 10 in Saratoga Springs, NY, when we set up the Big Top at the Saratoga Race Track. Shows 1 & 7 pm, Monday & Tuesday, presented by The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs. Tickets at the school, at 877-SMIRKUS and online.
See you under the Big Top!
*jump: move from one venue to the next