I'm glad to see you survived all of the great virtual haunted houses and scary cyber places I sent you to last week. Today's column is all about thrills of a different nature. From high wire walks to those daring young men (and women) on the flying trapeze, there's still nothing like a circus to bring out the oohs and aahs in kids from 2 to too old to talk about it. So, if you're a big fan of the big top, you're going to love these sites.
• www.ringling.com. The first and last word when it comes to the circus in America, this is the official site for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Here you'll find schedules and special offers. If you have a newborn, be sure to sign up for a free "first trip to the circus" package. You should also take the Ringmaster's Quizzes. I promise, you won't believe how many muscles there are in an elephant's trunk. And by the way, the site goes to great pains to mention all they do to care for their four-legged co-workers.
• www.circuses.com. This site from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals lists 32 different circus companies as "criminals" because of their lack of care for the animals. You can read all the details here.
• www.circusweb.com. This is a wonderful site filled with facts and folklore, everything you could possibly want to know about the circus, circus life and circus legends. You'll find a history section, an area with information on every company past and present and a section titled "lore" with two of my favorites, terms and superstitions.
• www.circustuff.com/links. Called the circus portal, Circus Stuff offers 566 links to sites and pages divided into 14 different sections including history and culture, clubs, skills training and even how to get a job with a circus. It isn't as easy as you might think. (And I always thought you just ran away from home and they took you in!)
• www.circusworldmuseum.com. The Circus World Museum features items back to the earliest days of the traveling shows. The actual museum is in Wisconsin, but you can really get a feel for the displays on this well-designed site.
• www.cirquedusoleil.com. How can you do a column about the circus and not include Cirque du Soleil? Nothing compares to the visual fascination that sets Cirque shows apart from all others. And even though the site is, in itself, quite stunning visually, it only gives a hint of the types of awe-inspiring in-person performances these Canadian acrobats offer.
• http://perucircus.com. Cincinnati circus fans might want to jump in the car and take a trip over to Peru, Ind. The small town calls itself "the circus capital of the world" and folks who make the trip to the Circus Festival every year are quick to confirm the claim. Peru's historical ties to "ringed shows" date to 1884, with the annual festival closing in on the half-century mark. Make plans to go next July; you won't be disappointed. Hundreds of youths ages 7-18 try out for the annual spectacular and willingly dedicate three months to the training it takes to put on the show.
• www.circuscircus.com. If you're looking for more of an adventure, consider booking a room at Circus Circus in Las Vegas. The themed hotel caters to kids and adults alike with free circus acts performing nightly, an on-grounds amusement park and, of course, a fantastic casino. Everything you need to know is right here. Don't overlook the travel specials offered on the site.
Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based writer who has always loved the circus. Write to her at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.
