Step right up, Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls, the circus has come to Shreveport! Last night, my husband, three of our kids and I were thrilled to attend the opening night of The Venardos Circus, at Riverview Park in Shreveport!
That's RIGHT, not only do you get to see the circus, you get to see it downtown along the banks of the Red River, how exciting is that?
We arrived early in hopes of catching the rumored flea circus that, much to our delight, IS a part of the pre-show which starts an hour before the big show.
We were pleasantly surprised to find plenty of parking in the lot adjacent to Sci-Port Discovery Center which made parking a breeze!
Careful, you WILL have to cross Clyde Fant to get to the main attraction, so leave yourselves plenty of time in case it takes a little while. Better safe than sorry!
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Be ready and make sure that you have enough storage in your phone for pictures & video, because that vantage point provides some pretty amazing views of the big-top and it's lighted entrance which adds to the ambiance and overall mood & coolness of there being a big-top circus along the Red River!
Out front was a stilt-walker ready and waiting to greet us for pics and play! Stop and play with him for a fun surprise!
As we stepped up to the podium to check-in, we were greeted by a friendly circus performer, who scanned our tickets while another performer stamped our hands and directed us to our seats (make sure you have your tickets printed or ready to be scanned on your phone in case there is a line!)
Walking through that tent-flap checked off a bucket-list of mine dating back from my toddler days spent obsessing over this little red hard backed picture book of a tent circus.
FINALLY, after over 40 years (yep I'm THAT old & literally had waited THAT LONG to see the inside of a circus tent) I got to see what was really under the Big Top and was NOT disappointed, either!
Although the pre-show was in full swing when we arrived, we had absolutely NO problem finding seats together (and GOOD ones, too- though doubtful there is a bad seat in the house, really!)
General admission tickets will seat you in the black folding chairs, the next tier are the white folding chairs and then there are gold backed chairs for the front row & highest tier where you can sit up close & personal right by the stage!)
The flea circus was RIGHT THERE, oh my GOODNESS!!! I wanted to tell EVERYONE about this treat of an attraction, you just don't see them very often ANYWHERE, so if you get the chance, check this one out!
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One of my kids squirreled away their own money and headed off to the TOYS section (brightly highlighted of course in lights) while another one made a bee-line for concessions seeing a wall of cotton candy and quickly realizing there would be fresh popcorn and pretzels involved, their fave!
Finally, we all settled in for a night of singing, dancing, acrobatics, juggling, one hilarious clown and plenty of surprises!
Here at Venardos Circus, pictures & video are not only encouraged, but hashtag (#Wanderlust #Venardos #Shreveport #MacKidShreveprt) what you post as well to share the wonders with your friends!
I know we ran our batteries down taking pics of all the wonders, so you may want to bring a spare battery & charging cord so you don't miss a shot!
The ringmaster invited us to explore the "Wanderlust" show theme with them and away we went, on a wild ride of the wondrous!
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Time flew by with aerialist above us, juggling in front, and laughter all around. We were TRULY amazed at this spectacular little circus that could!
Afterwards, get your cameras ready AGAIN, because there are photo-op's with the cast & crew up on the stage!
All 3 of mine HAD to go up there- can you guess which one is the ham in the family?
Somebody wants to see if the clown will give him pointers!
We truly loved every minute of our experience last night and I highly recommend getting tickets for your family!| Use the code MACKID and get 20% off your purchase!
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Here are my Top 5 Tips:
1. Get there early!
Arrive up to one hour early for the pre-show, for a chance to interact and get photos with the performers. Our tickets were for the 7pm show, so it was nice to give the kids a chance to check out everything up close and personal before we sat down for the 90 minute show. You'll also want to arrive in time to find good seats! I would highly recommend sitting directly in front of the stage. However, I wouldn't say there was a "bad seat" in the tent! Most of the action takes place soaring high above you or on stage. The performers were pretty good at turning around and talking to everyone in the audience. Make sure to use the bathroom before you go in. The riverfront bathrooms in the circular building are open and available for this event.
2. Snacks, Drinks & Extras
My kids could eat a 5-course meal and suddenly be hungry as soon as pretzels, cotton candy and popcorn appear. We planned on a late dinner after the show, but you may want to have an early dinner for the littler set if you plan on attending an evening show. That being said, the concessions are fairly priced for an event and very fresh and delicious! They also have a variety of light-up toys and t-shirts for sale. We always have the "this is what we will and will not be buying tonight" conversation before we go in, and it usually cuts down on the "but, but, but Mooooom'" whining...mostly. Last night, mine snuck their Christmas money in and bought their own "extras."
3. Wear Comfortable "Play" Clothes
You'll be in an actual circus tent (climate controlled of course) setting along the riverbank next to the sculpture most refer to as the "Giant tea-ball."The ground is mostly even, but has a mix of gravel and grassy areas. Keep in mind strollers are not allowed inside (however, the entire tent is ADA friendly). My kids danced, cheered and had a stupendous time. They were elated--and ready bed when we got home! You'll be sitting on folding chairs in general admission, and the ground may be mushy in some areas. They had wood chips out to combat puddles, but you may want to consider wearing sensible shoes. Leave the fancy clothes to the performers ( I loved the beautiful sparkly outfits)!
4. Check your phone storage!
You'll want to be sure to have plenty of room for photos and videos. There are so many photo ops before, during and after the show. All of the performers are happy to pose with your family outside, and they do allow you to take photos and videos while the performers are on stage. As always, be courteous of those behind you in the audience. I got some really cool slow-mo videos of the acrobats! This shot of my kids with the majority of the crew is frame worthy, too!
5. Don't miss a minute!
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One of the best parts of our experience was hearing the story behind the circus. The show begins with a song about "the little circus that could," and a tale about how it all started with a big dream. Every single act that came on stage was breathtaking. We loved how many family acts there were, and the diversity amongst the performers. At the end, the ringmaster ends the evening by expanding on his earlier story. He told us about how their crew of only 15 people, does it all from set-up, to backstage, on-stage and clean-up. They do it because it's their dream and it's important. You can feel the love and sense of family in the air. He told us that the two driving forces behind the magic of the evening were those 15 people, and the power of community. What an inspiration!
The Circus Venardos got a standing ovation from the audience last night, and we walked away with beaming faces and priceless memories. It's an unforgettably magical experience definitely worth your time and will leave you excited for the next time the circus is in town!
General Admission Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth under 12 yrs. Babes in arms are free with a paying adult (24 months and younger). Premium Reserved seating is priced from $35 to $45. Shows available May 4-14 at Riverview Park along the banks of the Red River in Shreveport!
Full details HERE
