Kelly Miller Circus returning to Greene County
WAYNESBURG – Lions, elephants, camels, clowns, aerial acrobats, trapeze artists, jugglers and more will caravan into Waynesburg next week for a one-day show under the big top on May 28 at the Greene County Fairgrounds.
They are part of the Kelly Miller Circus, now making their fifth consecutive annual Greene County visit that serves as a fundraiser for the Greene County Historical Society.
“It’s very rare for the Kelly Miller Circus to return to the same venue multiple times, but they like coming to Waynesburg because there’s usually a good turnout for their show here,” said Eben Williams, historical society administrator. “One of our board members, Reverend Donald Wilson, knows some of the people in the circus and encourages them to come to town once a year.”
Rev. Donald Wilson has been a life-long circus fan. So much so, his family gave him a lifetime membership to the Circus Fans of America as a gift a few years ago.
“I was introduced to the circus many years ago while I was pastor of a church in West Middlesex, Mercer County,” he said. “I brought them in to raise money for scholarships awarded to students through the local Kiwanis Club.”
When Rev. Wilson moved to Greene County ten years ago, he booked the circus for a youth program at the First Baptist Church of Waynesburg. After their successful performance, he suggested they return on a larger scale at the fairgrounds as a fundraiser for the historical society.
“The fairgrounds have been an ideal venue, and I can’t thank the county commissioners enough for their help and support,” he said.
The circus is based in Hugo, Oklahoma, and was started in 1938 by Obert Miller and his sons Kelly and Dory. Since then, they’ve entertained millions of Americans and Canadians with mainly one-day appearances that have gone on to create America’s second largest big top show.
The circus travels in a fleet of 36 vehicles and requires a 350-by-350-foot tent setup area. The colorful circus big top has a seating capacity of 1,100 and is made of waterproof vinyl. The tent is 120-by-120-feet and is 40 feet high and is supported by more than a quarter of a mile of heavy gauge aluminum tubing as well as several miles of rope, steel cable and chain.
At 9 a.m. on May 28, the circus elephants will raise the big top, and Rev. Wilson encourages people to come and watch the spectacle free of charge.
“The tent is great in that it’s a one ring show, meaning there are no bad seats anywhere,” he said.
Under the direction of the ringmaster and accompanied by a live orchestra, the circus will feature performing lions and zebras, jugglers and acrobats and a revue featuring “an amazing assortment of educated animals including luxurious llamas, prodigious pygmy goats and delightful doggies.” Of course, there’ll be clowns, doing a variety of skits and “ponderous performing pachyderms,” a show featuring the Kelly Miller elephants.
“The entire show runs about an hour and a half, and I’ll be there for both the 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. shows riding into the big top atop one of the elephants,” Rev. Wilson said. “The Kelly Miller Circus is a lot of fun, and it’s amazing that one of the few large circus shows of today would visit a small town like Waynesburg.”
To help promote the circus, a troupe of clowns visited the Rolling Meadows Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center and the East Franklin Elementary School the week of May 13.
“The circus always has something new and different each year,” Rev. Wilson said. “To me, the elephants alone are a joy to watch. I love seeing the rapport the trainers have with their animals, which are treated as part of the family.”
Along with the Dinner Dance in March at the National Guard Readiness Center and the Harvest Festival in the fall, the Kelly Miller Circus show is one of the major annual fundraisers for the historical society.
In addition to the sale of sponsor banners that are displayed in the big top, the historical society also gets a portion of the ticket sales.
“We get a larger portion of the ticket price if they’re pre-sold rather than purchased at the door,” Williams said.
Tickets are available at McCracken Pharmacy in Waynesburg, the Giant Eagle in Dry Tavern and Waynesburg and Brodak’s Shop ‘N Save in Carmichaels. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children. At the door on the day of the performance, tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children.
“I certainly enjoy the circus and hope others will as well,” Rev. Wilson said. “It’s a great way to leave your troubles behind for a couple of hours and enter a world of refreshing laughter and entertainment.”
The Kelly Miller Circus will be at the Greene County Fairgrounds at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28.