The Big Apple Circus is Back!

The Big Apple Circus debuted in 1977 and was a constant tourist and local attraction until the circus closed in 2016. It looked like the circus was finished for good in New York City. After new ownership took over in 2017, The Big Top reopened the doors. Then, much like the rest of the world, Covid caused the doors to close once again.

And now, THE BIG APPLE CIRCUS IS BACK!

With the theme of “Making the impossible possible,” The Big Apple Circus has done that. After being separated from one another for so long, The Big Apple Circus has brought us all back together to laugh, sing, clap, and enjoy the show.

The term, “Fun for all ages,” gets tossed around a lot. We travel bloggers overuse it to describe places, events, and shows. As I sat there with my family with ages ranging from 6 to 17 and being 47, I can honestly say The Big Apple Circus is indeed fun for all ages.

My family surprised me with a trip to The Big Apple Circus for my birthday and it was a fantastic gift. We walked around New York City and looked at Christmas displays, ate in Bryant Park, and then took in the circus. The Big Apple Circus is what you think a New York City circus would be. Besides all the normal circus activities one thinks of (Trapeze artists, high wire acts, a clown, etc.) the circus has a Broadway flavor. The performers sing and dance between and even during stunts. Which shouldn’t be a surprise since the director is Philip WM. McKinley, who directed Spiderman Turn off the Dark and The Boy From Oz on Broadway.

The finale of the circus is a tightrope act performed by the Wallenda Family. Nic Wallenda holds 11 world records and has been walking the tightrope since he was 2. Being with my family while watching the Wallenda family perform high above the stage was a thrilling and fun experience.

At the end of the night, we all talked about our favorite acts and it was hard to choose. Since my youngest daughter had her eyes closed during escape artist Matt Jones’ act, she couldn’t say that one. We all agreed The Clown Prince of Comedy, Johnny Rockett was hilarious and Ringmaster Alan Silva’s incredible talents amazed us as he flew around the stage one minute and was belting out songs the next. With so many great performances, it was hard to nail down just one. As my youngest exclaimed, “They were all my favorite,” I had to agree with her.

To purchase tickets to The Big Apple Circus, click here. The doors will be closed for the season at the end of January, so if you’re thinking about visiting the circus, act now.