World of Wonders Brings the Popular "Ladder of Blades" Act to Skowhegan in 2015

World of Wonders' Performer Trixie Turvy Displays Her Hula Hoop Skills at the Skowhegan State Fair in 2015

World of Wonders' performer 

Trixie Turvy showcases her hula hoop

routine on August 13, 2015 at the

Skowhegan State Fair. 

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World of Wonders Sideshow Makes Two Maine State Fair Stops in 2015

The roots of the World of Wonders 10-in-1 sideshow can be traced all the way back to the 1940s when its founder Ward Hall, now known as the “King of the Sideshow”, first entered the circus business at age 14. World of Wonders is considered to be the

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Return to Bangor After 60 Years!

       On June 19, 1953, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to Bangor, Maine. After "The Greatest Show on Earth" packed up and moved on to their June 20 show in Lewiston, it would be 60 years before they returned.
       The act of operating two mile long "Red & Blue Unit" trains transporting enormous 3-Ring shows around the country made smaller, more isolated venues, like the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor a less viable option for event stops. That changed in 2003 when Feld Entertainment added a new "Gold Unit" addition that would continue until 2015. This new unit would operate as a truck based 1-ring show allowing Ringling to once again take the show to locations

Waterville Plays Host to Frank A. Robbins

Frank A. Robbins came to Waterville in 1884 with a bill that looked really impressive! The great P.T. Barnum also brought his show to Maine this year however only played 3 dates all in southern Maine as oppose to Robbins taking his show up and down the whole state performing in 21 different towns! One thing to point out is Robbins did not play to any town that Barnum did. Barnum had July 3 in Saco, July 4 in Portland, and July 5 in Lewiston. Robbins toured June 16 in Rockland, June 17 in Bath, June 18 in Farmington, June 19 in Richmond, June 20 in Gardiner, June 21 in the capital city of Augusta, June 23 in Waterville as the ad here displays, June 24 in Skowhegan, June 25 in Belfast, June 27 in Dexter, June 28 in Bangor, June 30 in Bucksport, July 1 in Oldtown, July 2 in Lincoln, July 3 in Danforth, July 4 in Calais, July 8 in Caribou, July 9 in Fort Fairfield, Jully 11 in Woodstock and July 12 in Houlton. Another thing to note is both shows performed in Maine on Independence day. 

The advertisement here reads as follows:

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Waterville, Monday June 23.

And positively the only show that will exhibit at Waterville this Season.

FRANK A. ROBBINS'

NEW

Railroad Shows!

Circus, Museum, Menagerie, Trained Animals, Aviary and Aquarium

The date is positively

The Ringling Brothers Debut in Maine and Make a Stop in Waterville

The Ringling Brothers first came to New England in 1895 however it would be another ten years before they would venture into Maine. 1905, two years before they purchased "Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth", was the year the Ringling Brothers first came to Maine with "Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows". The tour of the state consisted of six dates. The route for 1905 in Maine was July 5 in Biddeford, July 6 in Portland, July 7 in Augusta, July 8 in Bangor, July 10 in Waterville and July 11 in Lewiston.

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The advertisement for their stop in Waterville reads as follows:

CIRCUS, WATERVILLE, MONDAY, JULY 10.

By Special Arrangement

THE ONLY BIG CIRCUS THIS SEASON.

RINGLING BROS. WORLD'S GREATEST SHOWS

AND THE STUPENDOUS

1876, Barnum's Longest Tour of Maine, Visits Lewiston Before heading to New Hampshire!

In 1876, the centennial year of our nation's birth, P.T. Barnum treated the people of Maine to the longer tour for and incarnation of a show using his namesake. This tour featured a full fourteen dates in twelve cities! Those dates were July 15 in Saco, July 17 & 18 in Portland, July 19 in Damariscotta, July 20 in Rockland, July 21 in Bath, July 22 in Augusta, July 24 in Houlton, July 25th in Calais, August 7 & 8 in Bangor, August 9 in Dexter, August 10 in Waterville and August 11 in Lewiston. This was also the first year of a Barnum show in Maine under the "Greatest Show on Earth" title! This was "P.T. Barnum's New and Greatest Show on Earth"! Presented here is a newspaper ad and short write up regarding the final Maine stop in Lewiston.

The advertisement posted here reads as follows:

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P.T. BARNUM'S

NEW AND

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH IS COMING

ON THREE MONSTER SPECIAL TRAINS

OF SOLID STEEL CARS, AND WILL EXHIBIT AT

LEWISTON, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11th!!

$1,500,000 CASH CAPITAL INVESTED!

1100 Persons and 600 Horses and Ponies Employed by it.

A Century's Festival of Features in a Metropolis of Separate Tents.

Its Menagerie 100 per cent. the largest ever moved.

SIXTY CAGES OF RARE ANIMALS AND AMPHIBIA

Many of which singly cost more than a common Menagerie.

TOWERING LIVING GIRAFFES, HALF TON LIVING LIVING SEA LIONS,

AND

Sparks Leaves Lasting Impression in Maine as we cover Circus Day in Lewiston, 1917

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Circus day was a big deal
this year! Here is a 
advertisement promoting 
"Circus Day" specials.

 In the year of the United States Congress issuing a  declaration of war against the German Empire, an escape from reality was truly treasured! 


In Maine, Sparks Circus carried the job of providing that escape around the state starting on Independence Day in Portland and staying here for 18 dates, essentially the whole month of July, going as far north as Fort Kent. This season left a lasting impression all across Maine. A Portland newspaper, a city with rich circus history, stated that it was a "fine performance and the best conducted circus ever in the city." The Kennebec Journal, a newpaper that covers Augusta stated that "Sparks Circus gave two  excellent performances, best ever in Augusta, the program is high class containing many thrillers and more than pleased everybody."

In this post we will take a look at some newspaper articles and promotional materials used for the July 23rd date in Lewiston.

Circus Day, 1917 in Augusta was a Special Day for Solders Heading to War

On April 2, 1917, Pres. Wilson asked a joint session of the United States Congress for a declaration of war against the German Empire. Congress responded with the declaration on April 6. This was America's entry into World War 1 and 1000s of troops where being sent over seas to witness the horrors of war first hand. On April 20, Sparks Circus had just transported their great show from Bangor where they performed on the 19th to Augusta. This year, Circus Day was not only going to be the day in which
families gather to to watch the great circus parade come into town, set up and then spend the day exploring the wonders of the amazing pageantry. This year, it would also prove to be the day that our men serving would have a chance the escape the harsh realities of leaving home and the nightmares that were ahead of them. For this day, reality was replaced by the magical world of the traveling circus with Sparks being the only circus coming to our state this year and talks of it being the only appearance of a circus troupe in general until after the war. One newspaper article from the July 23, 1917 edition of the Lewiston Evening Journal reported on the matter as follows:

CIRCUS DAY SAW HIGH JINKS IN THE CAPITOL CITY - THE SOLDERS' REVEL!

The Entire Regiment Was Given Leave and The Boys Didn't Miss a Thing! 

If the soldiers never have another good time until they disembowel the German, they'll remember Friday evening, July 20, 1917.

There was a circus in town. There are no adequate words in the Anglo-Saxon tongue to express just what the combination of a circus and a group of 2000 soldiers means.

The entire regiments, for the

Barnum Returns to Maine for the 1873 Season!

In 1873, P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum Menagerie Caravan Hippodrome & Circus returned to Maine and the advertisement makes the claim the the show is "Ten Times Larger Than Ever". This year, the

1873 Advertisement for the "The Wonderful Fairy Sisters"

This is a May 24, 1873 advertisement for "The Wonderful Fairy Sisters" to promote their upcoming performance at Lewiston City Hall. As the ad states, they also performed with "The Famous Deuel Family".