Baraboo to celebrate circus culture

The city of Baraboo will celebrate its circus heritage and community spirit during its third annual Baraboo’s Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration on Saturday, July 25.

Family-friendly activities will be scheduled throughout the day in downtown Baraboo from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including an antique and artisan fair, a farmer’s market, a classic convertible display, food vendors, old-time carnival games, activities and attractions for children.

In addition, there will be an antique circus wagon exhibit from Circus World. Live entertainment, presented in “circus rings” at each downtown retail district intersection, will feature comedy, clowns, concerts and more.

The centerpiece of the day’s festivities, the Big Top Parade, will begin at 2 p.m., featuring over 75 circus and community entries traveling around the downtown’s historic courthouse square district.

“Baraboo will come alive that day with the sights and the sounds of the circus,” said Debra Bauer, executive director of the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the parade and the day’s festivities. “The excitement will all come to a head when the Big Top Parade steps off. Young and old will be enthralled by the circus wagons, the bands, the animals and the clowns.”

This year’s parade grand marshals will be PHOX, the alternative folk/indie pop musical group featuring six musicians originally from Baraboo. In addition to serving as grand marshals, PHOX will perform in concerts under Circus World’s big top on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, July 26, downtown Baraboo will be the site of more activity, including the Sunday Market featuring artisans’ works and antiques, a classic car show and breakfast with the Ringling Bros. Circus members at the Al. Ringling Mansion.

Free parking and handicapped-accessible shuttles to the downtown will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the west side at the corner of Highways 12 and 33/8th Avenue near Pierce’s Market, from the east on Highway 33/8th Street and from the south at Circus World’s parking lot on Highway 113/Water Street.

Baraboo has the distinction of being the current-day home of Circus World, the International Clown Hall of Fame & Research Center and the Al. Ringling Theater and Mansion. Baraboo is also the historic home to numerous circuses, including the world-renowned Ringling Bros. Circus whose owners were the celebrated kings of the circus world.

The third annual Baraboo’s Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration is supported in part by a Sauk County Arts, Humanities & Historic Preservation grant, with funding from the Wisconsin Arts Board, State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about the third annual Baraboo’s Big Top Parade & Circus Celebration, contact the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce at (608) 356-8333 or visit bigtopparade.com. For a listing of other circus attractions, activities and events scheduled in Baraboo over the July 25th weekend, including daily big top performances at Circus World, visit baraboo.com.