Hurry, hurry. Step right up! The inaugural New York City Circus Festival is a celebration of all-things unusual and unbelievable.
The event is slated for this weekend, and the first-of-its-kind extravaganza at Bryant Park will transform your lunchtime hangout into another world. You should expect aerial arts, vaudeville performers, clowns, contortionists, and so much more. (No animals at this show, however.)
Even better? It’s one of the coolest free things to do in NYC. We, your ringmaster, will get you up to speed on everything you need to know.
More on the New York City Circus Festival
Monique Martin, a producer an art curator who’s credited for bringing circus artistry to the City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage Festival, is the one curating Saturday’s event. She’s also the founder of Minty Fresh Circus, which is described as “a journey through time and space, using circus and dance as the forms with which to explore themes of liberation when it exists only through the imagination.”
The debut New York City Circus Festival will include plenty of see-it-to-believe-it moments courtesy of several performance troupes:
- Sxip Shirey Sound Action Ensemble
- Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
- ABCirque
- Hybrid Movement Company
- Dzul Dance
- Company 29
- Minty Fresh Circus
More than just talented performers, these organizations emphasize diversity, inclusion, and acceptance through their art forms, adding a meaningful layer to those incredible feats.
As you know with free summertime fun at Bryant Park, the key is to arrive early, come prepared (bring a blanket), and enjoy the show! You can learn more on the Bryant Park website.
📍 Bryant Park
🗓️ Saturday, August 16th
⏰ 6-9pm