Circus Flora Brings Two St. Louis Favorites Together for 2016

Every summer, St. Louis becomes a little more magical.

From an empty parking lot, a circus tent rises over the neighborhood, shooting toward the sky. As performers twist, turn and thrill inside, the cheers of children and the scent of freshly-popped popcorn fill the air of Grand Center.

For the past 30 years, Circus Flora has brought the big top to St. Louis, offering a unique twist on the traditional circus that is both elegant and artistic, but at the same time, heart-stopping exhilarating.

As it celebrates a milestone anniversary, one of the city’s most iconic summer events is paying homage to another St. Louis favorite. This year’s theme, Pastime, combines the region’s passion for baseball with stunning circus pageantry from June 2 – July 3, 2016.

Circus Flora artistic director, Jack Marsh, explained that this year’s production will spotlight the joys of America’s pastime as only Circus Flora can. “With so many parallels between attending a performance at Circus Flora and going to a baseball game – summer nights with family and friends, sharing excitement with a crowd of fellow St. Louisans – Pastime will be the perfect outing for anyone in the world’s best baseball town.”

According to Marsh, Pastime is set in baseball’s golden era and follows the Zephyrs, a lovable but struggling ball team, through a rocky season. “Their biggest fan, played by talented clown Amanda Crocket, yearns for the team’s success and tries to help in any way she can, even if her methods are…unconventional.”

With pulse-racing acrobatics, galloping horses, feats of strength, canine comics, and hilarious clowns, Circus Flora ensures you’ll never look at baseball the same way again.

Honoring 30 Memorable Years

In order to thank the St. Louis community and its legion of fans for their support over the past three decades, Circus Flora is offering a variety of special promotional offers that celebrate its anniversary along with a few special surprises throughout the season:

• Opening Night Extravaganza, June 3 – Each pair of Premium Mezzanine tickets is just $30, limit 3 pairs.
• Kids’ Night Under the Big Top, June 8 and 22 – Kids receive $5 off the regular ticket price with paid adult admission and get free popcorn.
• Service Person’s Night, June 10, 17 and 24; July 1 – Military, police and firefighters receive $5 off per ticket.
• Throwback Thursday, June 9 – All guests with paid admission get a free vintage Circus Flora poster.
• Jubilee Night, June 16 – Receive a free 30^th Anniversary Commemorative poster with paid admission.

In addition, Circus Flora will again host popular performances geared toward special audiences, including its Peanut Free Preview on June 2 for guests with severe allergies, Scout Day on June 11, which includes a Q&A with performers and back-lot tour, and its Sensory Friendly Show on June 23, where sound and lighting are modified to create a comfortable environment for all.

Tickets for Circus Flora can be purchased now through www.circusflora.org or Metrotix at 314-534-1111. Discounted group rates and party packages are available by contacting Circus Flora at 314.289.4044.

No matter which performance you attend this season, you can be assured it will be like nothing else you’ve seen before, no matter how many times you’ve sat in the audience in the past.

“The 30^th anniversary of Circus Flora is a great opportunity to look back at what this great organization has brought to the world, and to look ahead at our exciting future,” said Marsh. “We’ve created countless amazing and intimate productions with the best circus performers in the world. We’re excited to continue to make innovative shows, while staying true to the warmth and wonder that makes Circus Flora so special!”