FASCINATING FACTS

If your organization has a need for fund raising revenue, Carson & Barnes Circus is a proven 68-year winning partner.

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2008 FACT SHEET

Carson & Barnes Circus, Everything That You Would Expect From A Great American Family Circus For Over 72 Years

America's largest tent circus, sponsored by local civic and community service organizations, leaves a portion of the income in the community for local uses. In 2007 almost 1 million was raised for local hosts.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST TENT CIRCUS...

More rings ... Only 3-ring show on the road.

More elephants ... Tons of Asian performing pachyderms.

More animals ... Dozens of exotic and domestic animals, including a hippopotamus, camels, llamas, zebras, equine and many others.

More performers … A pproximately 50, including artists from the United States, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Argentina, Italy, Brazil and other countries.

More acts ... Aerial, acrobatic, juggling, clowns and animals. Everything that you would expect from the Great American Circus.

More motor vehicles ... Thirty show owned transports, sixty vehicles in all to move the animals, equipment and people.

Biggest circus footprint ... From stake-line to stake-line the big beautiful polyvinyl Circus Tent is 270 ft. by 150 ft. – as large as a football field, seating over 2000. This full and complete traditional American big top show fills an area approximately 300 feet by 500 feet.

AMERICA'S ONLY BIG TRADITIONAL FAMILY CIRCUS...

Family Oriented … No alcoholic beverages, no gambling and “G” rated. New for 2008 , are the many children of performing families who are featured in the show.

We are all about kids! …Yours and ours!

Multiple rings ... Carson & Barnes Circus has three rings of non-stop action.

Under a big top ... We have the biggest circus tent on earth.

Largest free zoo ... Carson & Barnes Circus is proud of its large and varied educational exhibit of animals. Open as a zoo on circus morning, it's free to anyone who wants to watch the animals arrive, be watered, fed and cared for.

Moving nearly every day.. We travel to a new community nearly every day, raise the massive big top each morning, put on 2 performances and then tear down the circus every night. In some of the larger communities the circus stays 2 days to accommodate the larger population and big crowds.

Traditional music ... With a state of the art sound and lighting system, Carson & Barnes incorporates traditional circus music into all of its act routines.

 

A SPECIAL INVITATION TO THE MEDIA

Working Media Representatives are ALWAYS WELCOME at the Carson & Barnes Circus! Stories are limited only by your imagination. Of course we prefer working with you in a way to assure that the story is published or aired prior to our arrival in your community. This helps publicize the circus, assures that as many as possible have the opportunity to experience the show, and makes the stay a success for local sponsors and their community fundraising projects. Please bring your media credentials for admission.

Some of the ways that we work with the media

•  A true ‘behind-the-greasepaint' look at the circus: Our advance route can be provided to you for a pre-event full-day visit. Send a reporter out to spend a day at the Circus. Reporters can watch the set-up, join the crew for a meal in the circus cookhouse, get made up as a clown, even perform in the show!

•  Cross Promotion: Get some of your advertisers involved in promoting the show and we'll provide free tickets, contest prizes, special show acknowledgement and allow some signage or handouts at the circus.

•  Guest Ringmaster: Have your media personality come out and “open” the show.

•  Challenge two local personalities to a contest: The winner rides in on an elephant, the loser comes behind with the wheelbarrow and shovel.

•  Live Broadcasts: Electronic media can do a live remote from the circus lot in the morning during the set-up. Depending upon the schedule and reporter's courage, possibly broadcast from the back of an elephant.

•  In-Person Interviews : Interviews can be arranged with circus personalities, performers and ownership depending upon what issues you want to cover. Because of the hectic nature of one-day stands and the myriad of responsibilities that many of these people have, not all will be available at any given time. We have persons fluent in English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Russian, based upon your needs and audience. The interviews can be conducted and taped in advance of circus day over the phone or can be scheduled on circus day. To arrange for interviews in advance or for more information, please call our promotion office at (941) 359-6600

New for 2007 , and of particular public interest (especially kids), are the many children of performing families who are featured in the show. This includes the flying trapeze, acrobatic feats, hula-hoops. And much much more.

A special note about Animal Rights: Well-financed animal rights groups have targeted the traditional big top circus for extinction. They have sent out reams of unfounded allegations or half-truths about how the circus animals are treated. When we arrive on the circus lot in the morning, the animals are unloaded, watered and fed. They are on display nearly all day long for the public and the media to view. Circus co-owner, Barbara Byrd is always available to speak to you about the issue of animal rights and the responsible use of animals on the circus. We always co-operate with local, state and federal animal inspectors and local humane society groups. Before you print or air any allegations from the Animal Rights Groups we ask you to always give us the opportunity to present the facts.