Lewis and Clark Circus coming to Wooster and Millersburg
MILLERSBURG — Clowns, aerial acrobats and contortionists are just some of the fun the Lewis and Clark Circus has to offer on their visit to Wayne and Holmes County for five days beginning July 1.
The Lewis and Clark Circus will put on four shows in Wooster at the Wayne County Fairgrounds July 1-2, and five shows over three days, July 3-5, at the Holmes County Fairgrounds at Harvest Ridge.
Tickets cost $25 for adults and $10 for children. A family pass (bought online only) is also available for $45 until noon on show day. Tickets are available at lewisclarkcircus.com.
Lewis and Clark booking agent Logan Jimenez shared his thoughts about the circus.
"My favorite act is a guy from Brazil who stacks kitchen chairs one on top of another and he does handstands on top," Jimenez said. "Imagine doing a handstand 20 feet in the air on kitchen chairs ... it's phenomenal. It's such a show of strength. He also does a lasso act."
Jimenez added that a fan favorite is the 8-foot inflatable dancing polar bear.
"The crowd loses it when he comes out," Jimenez said. "He's available for pictures afterwards."
There is also a clown who performs magic tricks.
"He's not your traditional clown throwing a pie in the face," Jimenez said. "He does magic tricks and makes people laugh. Both kids and adults really enjoy him. We have a little bit of everything with the aerialists and acrobats, complete with cotton candy and popcorn just like how our parents and grandparents used to watch the show."
History of Lewis and Clark Circus
Lewis and Clark Circus was founded in 2006 by Bob Childress. In 2013, Childress sold the circus to performers Olena and Vandeir Reis, who continue to operate it.
The Reises met in 2003 and fell in love while working on the Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus. Olena Reis, originally from Ukraine, worked as an aerialist and Vandeir Reis, a native of Brazil, worked as a professional acrobat. The opportunity to buy a circus came about, and 10 years and thousands of shows later, they are sharing a life full of adventures with their two children. The Lewis and Clark has carved itself into one of America’s great family circuses.
The circus shut down all of 2020 and 2021, during which time they revamped the whole experience, getting rid of bleachers and using chairs so people can sit comfortably and enjoy the show.
The circus takes place on a stage, using theatrical lighting for the 90-minute show under the big top.
"This is a chance to witness one of the last traditional tent shows left touring in America," Jimenez said. "Our mission is to provide children of all ages with the opportunity to experience the magic of the circus. We've designed our show so no one sits more than 35 feet from the stage, so it's like watching a circus in your living room.
"Combining old-time circus traditions with modern innovations, our show will leave you on the edge of your seat," he added. "Come out and see men fly, women contort, and the audience forgets about the outside world for 90 minutes of non-stop circus action."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Lewis and Clark Circus coming to Wooster and Millersburg
