Circus

Fun Facts About The Circus

• The word "circus" comes from Latin, meaning "circle" or "ring." Circus Maximus was ancient Rome's massive chariot-racing stadium and entertainment complex that could hold up to 250,000 spectators — way bigger than any modern sports arena.
• The modern circus was invented in 1768 by a former cavalry officer in England. He started with trick horseback riding in a circular ring, then added acrobats, clowns, and even charged admission, thereby creating the blueprint for the circus we know today.
• The first circus in the United States was established in Philadelphia in 1793. It featured juggling, clowning, and drew President George Washington who attended several shows.
• Circus performers have many supersitions, including never whistling or eating peanuts backstage so as not to invite bad luck, and always entering the ring with your right foot or carrying hair from an elephant's tail in your pocket for good luck.
• The oldest continuously touring circus in the world is in Mexico and was founded in 1888. It's still owned and operated by the same family.
• Clowns and carnival workers have developed their own Carny Lingo so outsiders don't catch onto their scams. Examples include mark or mook (customer), take (money earned), joint (food stand) and kinker (performer).
• P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey fame once created a fake "mermaid" by sewing a preserved monkey's head onto a fish's body. It drew thousands of paying customers just to see it.
• Canada's Cirque du Soleil (French for "Circus of the Sun") has been entirely animal-free since its inception in 1984. It focuses on human acrobatics, music, and storytelling. It remains a world leader in live entertainment.