Circus in the Park … awesome, amazing and fun

Aerialists, trapeze artists, clowns, jugglers, contortionists, a trained dog, children and an acrobatic troupe are all part of the Circus in the Parks which has children of all ages loving every captivating minute of an awesome, amazing and fun show. The Sunday 4 p.m. show in Holstein Park broke the record for all pre-sold shows since Circus in the Parks began in 2007 in Welles Park.

These clowns do way more then clowning

A threat to downsize the playground in Welles Park in 2007 due to lack of funding is what prompted Julie Greenberg, a classically trained actress who played in Shakespeare productions, and her husband Jeff Jenkins, who was a Ringling Brothers Circus clown, to help raise funds for the playground. As parents of a one-year-old with another baby on the way, they determined that not having a park playground in their neighborhood was not an option for them.

Julie Greenberg with husband Jeff Jenkins and their son Max

Circus in the Parks was born out of a group they started several years earlier named Midnight Circus.  Their basic concept is to bring circus arts into different venues.  With the help and generosity of other performers, who they knew and with whom they worked  professionally, as well as community members they came up with the plan. Next they went to 47th Ward Alderman Gene Schulter who became convinced that the circus was an excellent idea and took it to the Welles Park Advisory Council which embraced it enthusiastically. The Chicago Park District required a great more convincing and arm twisting but Circus in the Park did become a Park Partner. The Park Advisory Council became the connecting organization, allowing the money raised to remain in the participating park(s).

Receipts of around $18,500 for the first weekend in Welles Park, brought a great deal of belief and respect from the community and the Chicago Park District and propelled them into a second park, Chase.  In the second and third years it was in Welles and Chase Parks. This year it was expanded to include Holstein, Portage and Gompers Parks, all of which applied to be considered for inclusion.

Regina Meirmanov, 7, and Max Jenkins, 5, are the next generation performers

In an act that is community at its best, two stay-at-home moms Margaret O'Conor from Chase Park and Eileen Palmer from Welles Park, felt that this fund raising opportunity should be available to all parks. "They organized, mobilized and put a handbook together so that other parks could replicate their success," explained Greenberg. "Then they mentored everyone."

In Holstein Park Lucy Jacobs and Cindy Johnson became the two movers and shakers who stepped up to cease the opportunity for Holstein Park. "People from Friends of Holstein and other community members helped make this happen," explained Johnson.

"But, it was all done in collaboration with the other parks' organizers. In addition to the individual park organizations, there is an umbrella group with representatives of all five parks. Proceeds from the five weekends are divided equally among the parks. Everyone realized the possibility that weather could partially or completely wipeout a weekend's shows hurting one or several of the parks.

"The goal is that all the parks benefit and it has helped build a good spirit among everyone involved. So, on each weekend there are people from the other parks helping where the show is being put on. The performers are contributors too because they pretty much do not get paid for their work."

To date, since 2007 the Circus prior to the Holstein weekend has raised a total of over $100,000 for the participating parks.

By the end of the show many in the audience were enter ring

If you missed the experience, there are two more Parks left in the season. Portage Park, 4100 N. Long, will be host on Oct. 9 and 10, while Chase Park with have it on Oct. 16 and 17. Show times on Saturdays are 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and on Sunday, they are 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Admission is $15.

The aldermen supporting these shows are: Gene Schulter, 47th Ward, Tom Allen, 38th Ward; Margaret Laurino, 39th Ward; and Scott Waguespack, 32nd Ward.

For more information and to pre-order tickets. Go to their website.

Be sure to leave your comments about the Circus experience below along with and people you want to identify in the slide show photos. You could be pictured!