Truly, the Greatest Show on Earth

I remember enjoying the circus when I was a little girl, and I’m not ashamed to say I love it just as much now, maybe even more so since I get to see it from my daughters’ eyes as well. It’s one of the few things that hasn’t been completely overhauled by technological advances.

Marsy has been to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus three times (and she’s barely turning four years old!) Last Spring was the most memorable of all. She still talks about it! It was a “Bellobration”, focusing on Bello the clown. They do a great job of changing the theme every season so even if you go more than once a year you never see the same show twice.

I’ve taken full advantage of the Baby’s First Circus program that Ringling Bros. offers. Babies can receive a free ticket voucher that can be exchanged for a free ticket to any Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performance, anytime, anywhere. The best thing is that it has no expiration date! I have baby’s certificate sitting in a drawer for when I actually have to buy her a ticket. At most venues, kids 2 and under get in free as long as they sit on Mommy or Daddy’s lap. MJ has already gone to the circus herself, when she was 7 months old. Surprisingly it held her attention for the majority of the show (I didn’t want to startle her with the camera flash, so sorry for the dark photo!).

Ringling Bros. just rolled out a new website with a train as it’s focal point. Move from car to car to learn about the different shows, meet the animals, discover more about the history of the circus, and play in the “Fun Zone.” The Clown Cannon game had Marsy cracking up! A neat feature is the desktop train widget that you can download to countdown the days until the circus comes to your town.

Purchasing tickets is easy; it only takes two clicks of your mouse. All you have to do is go on ringling.com and type in your zip code to find a show near you. Mom Central and Ringling Bros. have teamed up and are offering a special 20% discount code applicable for tickets in the following cities:

• Indianapolis, IN – Sept. 4-7, 2008
• Kansas City, MO – Sept. 10-14, 2008
• Grand Rapids, MI – Sept. 18-21, 2008
• Denver, CO – Oct. 2-13, 2008
• Boston, MA – Oct. 8-13, 2008
• Cleveland, OH – Oct. 24 – Nov. 2
• Chicago, IL – Nov. 6 – 30, 2008
• St. Louis, MO – Nov. 6-9, 2008
• Auburn Hills, MI – Nov. 12 – 16, 2008
• Highland Heights, KY – Feb 27 – Mar. 1, 2009
• Cincinnati, OH – Mar. 4 – 8, 2008

The 20% discount code is: MCC. Feel free to pass this code on to friends and family that live in or near those cities! If you’ve already bought tickets to a show, plan on getting there a little early for the All Access Pre-Show. One hour before showtime, clowns come out, you can see (and even touch!) animals up close, and much, much more!

I would love to eventually attend the circus as a VIP and ride in the train around the ring. It’s pricey, but I know the girls would love that. Maybe when they’re a little older!