Big tent shows delivering fantastic entertainment across the country
By Ben Dugan
Circuses have provided a great source of entertainment since the 1700’s. In the United States the advent of the circus tent in the 1820’s provided a more reliable means of performance regardless of weather. The 1830’s made the canvas tent system more commonplace. Circuses would travel the circuit and advertise to local communities that the circus would be in town for a few days. After the canvas tents became standard the shows had to travel more to produce a more reliable income to offset constant daily expenses. Advertising had to excite prospective attendees with the anticipation of seeing a fantastic show. By the 1850’s the popularity of the circus was unrivaled in the promotion of the curiosity of the American public. The big shows delivered fantastic entertainment that the locals would talk about for weeks.
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