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The Great Circus Parade is a parade of
"Great Circus Parade: 'In Chicago, all your chairs would be gone'"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel July 11, 2009. The animals and wagons were on display at Veteran’s Park in Milwaukee for several days before the parade. The parade followed a course from Milwaukee’s lakefront on
History of the Great Circus ParadeOfficial donation websiteThe Circus Parade at Old Milwaukee Days
July 4, 1969 {{coord, 43, 02, 25.5, N, 87, 53, 56.2, W, type:event_region:US-WI, display=title Culture of Milwaukee Tourist attractions in Sauk County, Wisconsin Parades in the United States Tourist attractions in Milwaukee Baraboo, Wisconsin
The Great Circus Parade is a parade of marching band
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...
s, circus wagons, clowns, performers, and animals. Between 1963 and 2009, it has been held 30 times in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, and a few times in Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo ( ) is the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, located along the Baraboo River. The population was 12,556 at the 2020 census. The most populous city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo micropo ...
. A fundraiser for the Circus World Museum, the parade typically draws hundreds of thousands of attendees. The parade recreates how people in the late 19th century and early 20th century gathered along stops on a circus's route to see whether a circus was worth viewing.
Exhibits
The parade featurescircus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
wagons and animals from the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo ( ) is the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, located along the Baraboo River. The population was 12,556 at the 2020 census. The most populous city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo micropo ...
and marching bands from Wisconsin. The animals and wagons travel from Baraboo to the parade locale on special circus train
A circus train is a method of travel for circus troupes. One of the larger users of circus trains was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (RBBX), a famous American circus formed when the Ringling Brothers Circus purchased the ...
s. Baraboo is the original 1884 home of the Ringling Brothers Circus.
The 2009 parade exhibited 50 circus wagons, between 250 and 400 horses, and 30 bands on a two-hour long route. The chief parade clown, Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine ( ; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perf ...
, commented that he saw "nothing but miles and miles of smiles."
History
The Great Circus Parade was founded by Chappie Fox and Ben Barkin and first held inMilwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
in 1963. It continued annually in Milwaukee until 1973. Between 1980 and 2005, it was held in Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
, Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
or Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo ( ) is the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, located along the Baraboo River. The population was 12,556 at the 2020 census. The most populous city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo micropo ...
. No parade was held between 2006 and 2008.
The parade resumed in 2009, returning to Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
on July 12, after a six-year hiatus, after organizers raised $1.5 million. The 2009 parade celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Circus World Museum.Stephenson, Crocke"Great Circus Parade: 'In Chicago, all your chairs would be gone'"
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel July 11, 2009. The animals and wagons were on display at Veteran’s Park in Milwaukee for several days before the parade. The parade followed a course from Milwaukee’s lakefront on
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
through Milwaukee’s downtown. The founder's nephew, Bill Fox, helped raise funds for the 2009 event, and he expects the event to be held every two to three years to allow time for fund raising.
See also
* Showman's wagonsReferences
External links
History of the Great Circus Parade
July 4, 1969 {{coord, 43, 02, 25.5, N, 87, 53, 56.2, W, type:event_region:US-WI, display=title Culture of Milwaukee Tourist attractions in Sauk County, Wisconsin Parades in the United States Tourist attractions in Milwaukee Baraboo, Wisconsin