Friday, July 23, 2004
The annual show was held at the Canfield Fairgrounds the last two years.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- After a two-year absence, Circus Aut Mori is back in town today and the weekend, and for circus organizers and city residents, there's no better way to celebrate the event's 40th anniversary.
"We hated to leave Struthers Fieldhouse, and we're very happy to be back," said Leland Clegg, circus publicity director.
After 37 years at the fieldhouse, the circus moved to the Canfield Fairgrounds in 2002 and 2003 because construction of the new high school and upgrades to the field house were under way, Clegg said.
Circus organizers could have moved back to the field house last year, Clegg said, "but we were under the impression that it would be very difficult."
The difficulty arose because new regulations regarding field house rentals prohibit the circus from storing animals inside, and new fire and smoke alarms prevent rigging of high-wire acts in the rafters, Clegg explained.
There will be no high-wire acts and the animals will be stored outside the building.
Problems with bad weather hurt attendance last year, however, and the year before when Circus Aut Mori was at the fairgrounds.
Scheduling
Traditionally, the circus was held in March, giving schoolchildren the opportunity to attend with their classes, said Dan Becker, a Struthers businessman and chairman for the circus operation.
When the circus was forced to the outdoor venue in Canfield, it was held in May.
This year, because proficiency testing is done in March, the circus was set for July. It was too late to hold the circus before school recessed for the summer, Becker said. "This was the best we could do at this point."
Before it moved to the fairgrounds, attendance at the circus averaged about 2,000 per show, Becker said. "We don't know what to expect now."
Next year, he added, the circus may be held during the school year but at a time "when it doesn't conflict with education."
Boosters get a boost
The Struthers Band Boosters are happy to have the circus back, no matter what time of year it's held.
The band boosters have the sole rights to refreshment concessions during the circus "and this was our main fund-raiser," said Sandy Colburn, boosters president.
When the circus moved to the fairgrounds, the booster club was forced to hold a variety of other, smaller fund-raisers, she said. The club sold commemorative blankets, had craft shows and lotteries, and operated concessions at tournament baseball games.
With the circus back in the field house, she said, "we'll have a definite increase in the money generated."
Boosters probably will continue with the other fund-raisers, Colburn said, because the organization wants to buy new band uniforms and replace some of the instruments.
Circus Aut Mori benefits local charities.
Handpicked acts
Each act is handpicked and hired by organizers, Clegg said, so it is not like any traveling circus.
This year's circus features elephant and pony rides -- the elephants are different from the ones that appeared at the last show in the field house, Clegg said, because the old ones have grown too large to lie on their bellies and wiggle through the double doors to get inside -- trampoline and low-wire acts, performing dogs and house cats, tigers, tight-rope walkers, acrobats and skaters.
Shows are at 8 p.m. today, 10 a.m., 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8, $10 and $15, and are available at the door.
kubik@vindy.com