Shrine Club Circus brings something special to Columbus
Ever want to pet a giraffe?
Your chance is coming.
There is going to be something a little different when the Columbus-Fort Benning Shrine Club Circus comes to to town Saturday and Sunday.
“We are going to have an exotic petting zoo outside,” said Mark Cantrell, the circus chairman. “We really wanted to do something special this year.”
This is the 53rd year for the event, and Cantrell said, “we are always looking for new acts so people won’t feel like they are watching what they have already seen.”
This is Cantrell’s 22nd year working with the circus, an event, he said, that has been very popular through the years.
“I feel like I live with the circus,” he said. “This is a gigantic event, one everyone in the family can enjoy. We have a lot of fundraisers through the year but this is the big one. The money goes to support the club and Shriners Hospitals.”
At those 22 hospitals nationally, children receive orthopedic, burn, spinal cord injury, cleft lip and palate treatment. All care at the hospitals is provided at no charge to the patient, family or legal guardian.
“We are all about helping children,” Cantrell said.
And entertaining them.
Thousands of free tickets are given to students at elementary schools in a 50-mile radius of Columbus.
“Children should see a circus,” he said.
This one has clowns, acrobats and animal acts.
There will be three shows on Saturday at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and two shows on Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
“The shows are two hours of fun,” Cantrell said.
Larry Gierer: 706-571-8581, @lagierer
If you go
What: Columbus–Fort Benning Shrine Club Circus.
Where: Columbus Civic Center, 400 4th St.
When: Saturday shows are at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday shows are at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Cost: Children 3-12 are $7 in advance and $10 at the gate, general admission is $15 in advance and $20 at the gate, active-duty military admission is $13 in advance and $18 at the gate. There will be a $5 parking fee.
Tickets: Advance tickets may be purchased at the Columbus-Fort Benning Shrine Club, 3202 Edgewood Drive. For information, call 706-561-5448. Tickets may also be purchased at the Columbus Civic Center box office, Action Buildings, Action Auto Designs, Ezell’s, Country’s Barbecue, Speakeasy, Chef Lee’s Peking Restaurant, Ace Hardware, Piggly Wiggly and Golden Corral.
Information: For more information visit shrinekids.com.
This story was originally published October 10, 2016 at 12:38 PM with the headline "Shrine Club Circus brings something special to Columbus."