..Circus returns to Northwest Iowa..

March 8, 2012


Estherville Daily News

SPENCER - Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, the world's oldest form of family entertainment comes to you in Spencer. The James Cristy Cole Circus is returning for the third consecutive year with all new acts and a brand new show.


The James Cristy Cole Circus is a true old-fashion, three-ring nostalgic circus and a time-honored tradition that has been entertaining kids of all ages for over 20 years. The Circus will be making a stop at the Clay County Regional Events Center on Saturday, March 24 and Sunday, March 25. Circus fans will have the opportunity to see three performances over the weekend: Saturday, March 24 at 2:00pm and Sunday, March 25 at 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Doors open one hour prior to show times.

Tickets are on sale now and are $16 and $11 for reserved seating, based on seat location. Limited VIP packages will also be available for $25 each. Experience the circus adventure of a lifetime with the VIP pre-show party.

The pre-show party package includes a VIP ticket and a backstage tour before the show. Come early and have the opportunity to meet some of the circus performers, the ringmaster and have a close up look at the animals in the circus. VIP ticket packages will include a special admittance ticket for admittance into the pre-show party. The party starts 1 1/2 hours before the show and lasts for a half hour. Latecomers may miss the opportunity. Meet in the lobby to be directed to the party. Any child who has celebrated their first birthday must have a ticket to the show.

Tickets may be purchased at the Events Center Ticket Office (Monday Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.), online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone thru Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, and at all Ticketmaster outlets.

"We are truly excited to bring back this full three-ring family circus to Spencer," said Scott Hallgren, General Manager for VenuWorks at the Clay County Regional Events Center. "James Plunkett, the owner and producer of our Circus, is a fourth generation circus performer himself, and he knows how to produce a quality show. James has worked with several Shrine organizations across the country in producing circuses for them. In fact, the same circus and circus acts you'll be seeing in Spencer were in Omaha for the Tangier Shrine Circus. Please come out and join us for a fun-filled family day-the James Cristy Cole Circus will remind you of the good 'ole days when you went to the circus with your mom and dad or grandma and grandpa, but yet will still have all the fun and magic kids love today!"

The James Cristy Cole Circus will feature all your favorite circus acts with an elephant, bears, horses, dogs, and more. New for the 2012 edition of the James Cristy Cole Circus is a dancing bear act you won't want to miss! The Castle-Hall Performing Bears are multi-talented animals doing tricks an average human can't even perform, including handstands, walking on rolling globes, riding bicycles, and dancing. America's favorite circus animal and featured act-the elephant-is back again. Just when you thought it was safe to get back on the road again, here comes "Jeffery's Jalopy" comedy car routine. Jeffrey and his real, working 1927 Model-T will surely entertain you, and have you laughing every time you get into your car. Aerial artists will be performing their poetry in motion on the Roman Rings, aerial lyra's and featuring the aerial adagio on the cradle. These new acts are something you won't want to miss!

No circus would be complete without a ringmaster. The ringmaster for the James Cristy Cole Circus is Cristine Herriott-Plunkett. Also appearing with her is her registered Lipizzaner-Pinto horse "Cebero." As co-producer of the James Cristy Cole Circus, she designs and sews all of her costumes and puts the "bling in the ring!"

The James Cristy Cole Circus comes to you from Texas. James Plunkett, the producer of the show, is a fourth generation circus performer, and his wife of 20-plus years, Cristine Herriott, is also from a recognized circus family of four generations. They have three children, Star Cristy, Jesse James, and Cole, hence the name of the circus.

For more information about the show, please call the Clay County Regional Events Center at 712-580-3000 or visit our website at www.SpencerEvents.com.