You enter the tent, and immediately you feel something special. The funnel cake you have in your hand might be bad for you, but hey, it’s the circus! Immediately after being seated, one will notice the stage in front of them, which is easily seen. Every chair is guaranteed by the Big Apple Circus to be 50 feet, or less, from center stage, creating wonderful visibilty. The lights dim, and there she is! Granny! Granny and Bello are the lead clowns of the Big Apple Circus, and help aide the show along. Bello was rated the top clown in the nation by Time Magazine and was head clown at Barnum & Bailey’s Circus for several years. This show, filled with acrobats and clowns alike, is put on in the D.C. metropolitan area once a year, and is definitely a place to go for a laugh you feel good about.

Whether you’re with friends, or with the family, at The Big Apple Circus, you’re bound to have a good time. Filled with multiple acts, The Big Apple Circus is a European-style, one-ringed circus. It has no big animals, only horses and dogs, and each dog it owns is a rescued dog from animal shelters around the nation. Many acts are interactive with the audience, and each act is usually followed by a quick, satirical skit done by either Granny or Bello, and sometimes both. Each year, the circus has a different theme, and somehow each act is related to that theme. Many of the clowns, acrobats, jugglers, and you-name-its are from other countries, and come on tour exclusively for the Big Apple Circus. Whether you’re in the first or last row, you will leave with a smile on your face, and a desire to return the next year.

The Big Apple Circus is a small circus that travels the nation, giving laughter to audiences, but more importantly, to children who need it. Started in 1974, in England this special organization’s mission was to not only put on spectacular shows for an audience, but also serve each community it showed in through several outreach programs. Many who watch the show are unaware of the fact that the Circus currently runs five outreach programs, pinnacled by its most famous, “Clown Care.” In this ground-breaking program, several clowns from the Circus visit hospitals, most days of the week, year-round, and give those children who otherwise might not have something to be happy about, the gift of laughing. In fact, the Big Apple Circus is a nonprofit organization, and each donation you make is tax-deductible. So, in the future, if you and your friends, or your families are looking for a laugh to feel good about, but not necessarily a cheap one (prices are from $15-$65 per ticket), go to www.bigapplecircus.org, and book your seats for one of the best circuses around.