Come One, Come All: Circus in Town for One More Weekend

(KNSI) – This weekend is the final three days of the Do Portugal Circus’s St. Cloud swing.

The group is one big family, literally. They’re almost all related in some way, and many got into the game at a young age. That includes the ringmaster Aldo Portugal, who started as a clown when he was eight.

He says they continue to improve the show out of necessity, as some of their most famous acts have disappeared over the years. “When I was a kid, I remember we used to have animals; tigers, lions, elephants, and all of those kind of things. And, as times go by, we have decided to perform without animals anymore. So, it’s an animal-free show. Because of that, we have to bring better performers. We have to practice harder to keep the show as exciting as it was before with exotic animals.”

Portugal doubles as one of the daredevils on the trapeze. Juggling, motorcycle stunts, and more are also included in the extravaganza. It’s more than just a show, though. It’s a connection to a form of entertainment and a way of entertaining that has been around for over a century.

The big top is a custom-made cathedral of cloth that comfortably seats 1,000 people in reserved chairback grandstands, along with the props and performers required for a three-hour program. Concessions, an entranceway, and a lobby are also part of the structure.

Walking in is like traveling back in time. Portugal says it is the ultimate show business experience. “What we are trying to do is… we’re going to drag you out of the city when we are performing, and into our world for two hours. We’re going to take you to another world. It’s our spaceship.”

The final weekend consists of a Friday night show, three on Saturday and two more on Sunday. A link for tickets is here.

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