I have been attending the circus since childhood. Growing up we would to travel to Boston to see the circus. When we moved to Florida in 1980, we settled in Venice which was the winter home for the circus. Over my 11 years in Venice I babysat for the children of circus folk, went to school with circus performers, enjoyed the annual circus parade from the train station to the circus grounds, volunteered as an usher for the pre-tour shows that were held at the Venice Circus Arena. My high school graduation was held at the circus arena, affectionately known as the “elephant palace”. As an adult I have taken my children and my friend’s children to see the Greatest Show on Earth. For me, my favorite circus acts have always been the animals, especially the big cats and the elephants. In my opinion, Gunther Gebel-Williams was the best animal trainer ever, and his son Mark did a great job following in his father’s footsteps. Unfortunately, the elephants left the circus in 2016 under pressure from animal rights activists.

Circus Xtreme 2017

We enjoyed Circus Xtreme, though as has been the case the last few years, the theming was a bit lost in the production. Newcomer and first, and last ever Ringling female Ringmaster, Kristen Michelle Wilson did a good job. Unfortunately, from our seats behind the bandleader, I struggled to get a decent picture of her facing us. I spoke to friends who attended the circus while it was in Tampa and the favorite act was the female human cannonball! She was amazing. Of course, I loved Taba and his tigers, I just wish we could have seen their faces. The addition of slackline, parkour, trampoline, and BMX was a great way to add some more modern acts to the traditional circus.

We truly felt the lack of the elephants at the show. The opening Grand Parade wasn’t very grand without elephants Also, this production had no trapeze artists and we missed that too. The camel act was unique and different compared to the usual horse act. My husband enjoyed the dog act the most.

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For over a century, female performers have been some of Ringling Bros. biggest stars, and Wilson will continue the tradition when she joins the show on January 12, 2017. Her premiere performance will be at the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., and be followed by a national tour including stops in Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla.; Atlanta; Cincinnati; Greenville, S.C.; and Greensboro, N.C. A professional singer with a background in theater, Wilson brings her talent and enthusiastic energy to the iconic role of ringmaster, transforming and further modernizing The Greatest Show On Earth. As a young woman with a diverse background, Wilson will serve as a role model, inspiring and empowering children everywhere to follow their dreams.

Children Of All Ages can let their imaginations go wild in an exhilarating adventure with extreme thrills, exotic animals and extraordinary performers that add up to the ultimate family entertainment experience. Join us at Amalie Arena, Tampa from January 25-29, 2017 as we explore a world of extreme beauty, flexibility, strength and dexterity in ways you’ve never seen before. Purchase tickets for your family to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Circus XTREME® today.

High-wire wizards, powerful strongmen, BMX trick riders, trampoline daredevils, inconceivable contortionists, a high-flying human cannonball, a bungee aerial skydiving display and an international assembly of more than 300 cast and crew provide 2 ½ hours of thrilling entertainment. With such an exciting lineup, The Greatest Show On Earth® guarantees to dazzle and astound, and a Ringling Bros.® show wouldn’t be complete without a full menagerie of amazing animals. Circus XTREME features beautiful Bengal tigers and two-humped camels ridden by brave Mongolian women.

The party starts an hour before the show at the All Access Pre-show, which is free with your ticket purchase. You and your family can meet our international cast of performers and get up close to our menagerie of animals. Try on custom costumes, learn circus skills — like juggling — from the famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley! Together with the show, your family receives over three hours of extreme family fun not to be missed.

Ticket holders can purchase an upgrade and go backstage with a VIP Behind the Scenes Tour of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The backstage experience includes an insider look at props and wardrobe, an up close and personal encounter with the animals and a chance to meet stars from the show. Fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures and learn educational fun facts. To take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, just log on to ringlingbros.expapp.com from your iPhone or Android smartphone, and provide your name, e-mail and phone number to become a VIP circus insider.

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Circus XTREME are on sale now. Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply. All seats are reserved and tickets are available by calling 800-745-3000. For group rates, call 866-248-8740. Purchase tickets and view show times on Ringling.com.

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We arrived at Amalie Arena at about 6:10pm. We had no trouble picking up our tickets at will call. We headed to our seats, and then down on to the show floor for the awesome interactive pre-show activities. It was so much fun to watch Luke’s face light up as the animals, clowns and acrobats performed right in front of us. The pre-show is so worth getting to the arena early for, make sure you plan on it for your trip to the circus.

Next, Luke had to buy his souvenir, he had money burning a hole in his pocket and he bought a $20 sword…it wasn’t even a light up sword! We headed back to our seats as the pre-show ended and Luke bought himself some $14 cotton candy that came with a souvenir hat. He was a happy kid!

I love that the circus starts with asking everyone to stand and sing the National Anthem while the American Flag is paraded around the arena by a girl on an elephant. It is a great way to kick things off before the grand parade begins. During the parade I was talking with Luke about some of the acts he would see during the evening. His eyes were as wide as saucers when the elephants paraded out.

The first half of the show included acrobats, The Torres Family in the Globe of Steel, the big cats, clowns, more acrobats and the elephants. Oh and the Legends…a Pegasus and a Unicorn!

After intermission, the show started with the Menagerie. There were performing pigs, dogs, llamas, goats and donkeys! The pigs were my favorite, they were HUGE! Then there were more acrobats, a high wire motorcycle act, trapeze artists, horse back acrobats and more clowns before the closing parade.

There are still more shows in Tampa this weekend! There are 3 shows Saturday, January 9th at 11:00am, 3:00pm and 7:30pm and 2 shows on Sunday, January 10th at 11:00am and 3:00pm.

The rest of the Legends Tour is:

• Orlando, FL January 14-18
• Jacksonville, FL January 21-24
• Birmingham, AL January 27-31
• Greenville, SC February 3-7
• Greensboro, NC February 10-14
• Philadelphia, PA February 17-21
• Brooklyn, NY February 25-March 6
• Newark, NJ March 9-13
• Norfolk, VA March 31-April 3
• Hampton, VA April 6-10
• North Charleston, SC April 13-17
• Worcester, MA April 22-24

Tickets are available online at ringling.com. If you would like to see more pictures and some videos of the show, check out my Instagram!

We had a great time at The Greatest Show on Earth and we know you will too!

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Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson guides Paulo the Legend Seeker on a quest to discover real, living legends from around the world. Audiences will experience Alexander Lacey and his enduring bond with his lions, majestic leopard and tigers during one of the most captivating acts. The Solar Hawks, a dream team of acrobats, come together to amaze by attempting four consecutive triple somersaults on a one-of-a-kind double-wide trapeze specifically designed for The Greatest Show On Earth®. The Riders of the Wind, Cossack trick-riders will thrill as they thunder into the arena on the backs of thoroughbred horses stealing your breath with their daring stunts. Experience and learn about the special relationship between trainers and treasured Ringling Bros.® Asian Elephants as each trainer shows off individual elephant’s natural skills and abilities.

Free to all ticketholders, the All Access Pre-show starts an hour before the show. Come down to the arena floor and meet the performers of The Greatest Show On Earth, get autographs, take photos and enter to win a one-of-a-kind pachyderm painting.
Ticketholders can purchase an upgrade and go backstage with a VIP Behind the Scenes Tour of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The backstage experience includes an insider look at props and wardrobe, an up close and personal encounter with the animals and a chance to meet stars from the show. Fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures and learn educational fun facts. To take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, just log on to ringlingbros.expapp.com from your iPhone or Android smartphone, and provide your name, e-mail and phone number to become a VIP circus insider.

Tampa Circus Show Information

Performance Schedule:

• Wednesday, January 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, January 7 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, January 9 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, January 10 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m.

Tickets

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS start at $16. All seats are reserved and tickets are on sale now.You can ‘buy early and save’ with this offer for $4 off using promo code 4MOM. The promo code is not valid on day of show or premium seating. Valid on select performances as it can change on demand. Tickets are available at www.Ringling.com or www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amalie Arena box office (phone for information only: 813-301-2500). For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

Tampa Circus Ticket Giveaway

This giveaway is for 4 tickets to opening night, Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at Amalie Area in Tampa, FL. Tickets will be available at will call. This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and verified. The winner will be notified via email and they will have 48 hours to claim their prize. The Mom Maven is not responsible for prize fulfillment, that is the responsibility of the giveaway sponsor. The giveaway ends at 12:00am on 12/23/15.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See you at the circus!

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All-Access Pre-show

The All-Access Pre-Show is a fun and sometimes interactive 45 minutes spent on the arena floor with the circus performers. There adults and children can see some of the acts close up and sometimes even participate in them!

When we headed to our seats we were very disappointed in the location. Our seats were in the 6th row in section 118, right near the curtain. We had a great view of the band and the upcoming acts that were being staged but it was difficult to see the acts in he far ring, which at times led to a very squirmy 7yo because he couldn’t see what was going on.

Our seats were approximately the X in section 218.

While we had a pretty good time at the circus, even most of the acts in the ring in the center of the arena had their back to us, especially my favorite, the big cats.

The Theme for this year’s show was Legends! and I just didn’t feel they pulled the theme off again. Yes they had a Pegasus, Unicorn and Woolly Mammoth each parade through the arena once but that was it. The Pegasus was well done, the Unicorn was sad looking and while we thought the Woolly Mammoth looked good, 7 yo Matthew said, “That looks like an elephant dressed up.” Ha!

I do recommend a visit to see Legends! if it comes to your area. Please make sure you sit in the middle of the arena so that you can ensure you see the entire performance.

Disclosure: I received 4 free tickets to the event for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 00% mine.

The post Ringling Bros Circus Legends Show Re-Cap appeared first on The Mom Maven.

5. The Swiffer Effect

Swiffer has made cleaning easier for every member of our family. In our house everyone has chores to do daily and weekly so whether we are sweeping floors, mopping floors or dusting throughout the house-everyone uses Swiffer to do part of their chores. Read more at The Swiffer Effect.

4. Built to Amaze

This was Summer’s first trip to see the circus and she told us she was petrified of clowns! Read more at Built to Amaze!

3. Monster Jam Review

The freestyle competition is very exciting with huge trucks flying through the air, and not always landing on their wheels! Grave Digger even ripped of the skin of the truck and finished the freestyle with just the roll cage! Read more at Monster Jam Review.

2. Combat Ant & Roach Killing Bait Strips

The new Combat® Ant & Roach Killing Bait Strips contain the same killing power found in Combat® Gels, in an easier to use format. These thin bait strips have an adhesive backing that makes it easy to hide out of sight and reach of children and pets. Read more at New Combat Ant & Roach Killing Bait Strips Review.

1. Cold-Eeze

Cold-EEZE is now a staple in my medicine cabinet. When we feel the first sign of a cold coming on, we will be using Cold-EEZE as directed. To read more go to Cold-Eeze Review.

Thanks for a great 2013. I am looking forward to even more reviews in 2014!

The post MomMaven’s Top Reviews of 2013 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

About Legends!

Behold the living legends! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® brings the unbelievable to Children Of All Ages in an all-new show — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & BaileyPresents LEGENDS^SM. Experience unimaginable family fun, as amazing performers from around the globe perform awe-inspiring feats of daring, spectacles of strength and thrills of wonder to summon the mythical and the mysterious: a Unicorn, a Pegasus and a Woolly Mammoth! Join us for an unforgettable family night of legendary proportions!Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents LEGENDS!

Ringmaster Jonathan Lee Iverson

Legends! Tickets-Tampa

Tickets for the Tampa performances are on sale now, and make a great Christmas gift. The circus will be in Tampa January 1-5, 2014 for 8 shows. By using code MOM4 you can receive $4.00 of select performances. Offer not valid on Front Row or Premium seats. Not valid day of show.   Only valid for these performances: Thurs 7:30pm, Fri 7:30pm, Sat 11am, and Sun 5pm.

See you at the circus!

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. All opinions are 100% mine.

The post In 2014 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Present: Legends! appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Last week my family had the opportunity to experience Built to Amaze! The newest show by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. I have a fond connection to the circus because I lived in Venice, FL from 1980-1991. Venice was the winter home to The Greatest Show on Earth from 1962-1992. It was always a big deal when the circus came to town and paraded from the train depot to the circus grounds.

Due to traffic and bad weather we didn’t arrive in Tampa in time to take part in the All-Access Pre-show this year We had great seats for the exciting show though. This was Summer’s first trip to see the circus and she told us she was petrified of clowns! We let her sit in the center of the row so that the clowns wandering the Tampa Bay Times Forum before the show started couldn’t get near her! Luckily for Summer, this show isn’t as clown-centric as some of the other shows I’ve seen so she was able to relax and enjoy the show.

My favorite animal act in the circus is the tiger act. I told Summer I wanted to climb in the ring with them and hug them, she said I was insane. There were four animal acts in this show: horses, poodles, tigers and elephants. Usually I don’t care for the dog act but this time the poodles were my 2nd favorite and the family agreed, best dog act ever!

Finally we have first-time ringmaster and circus veteran Andre McClain and the acrobatic acts. Duo Fusion was amazing with their feats of strength and balance. The Negrey Troupe powerfully tumbled across the stage. The Tower Tumblers trampoline act was an energetic way to open the second act. Top all of this off with The King Charles Troupe of unicycle riding basketball players and you have the makings of an exciting family night at the circus!

We had a great night at the circus and I’m sure you will too! Built to Amaze! is coming to the following cities this year:

Orlando, Florida
January 10, 2013 – January 13, 2013
Jacksonville, Florida
January 17, 2013 – January 21, 2013
Birmingham, Alabama
January 24, 2013 – January 27, 2013
Greenville, South Carolina
January 30, 2013 – February 03, 2013
Greensboro, North Carolina
February 06, 2013 – February 10, 2013
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 13, 2013 – February 17, 2013
Richmond, Virginia
February 20, 2013 – February 24, 2013
Newark, New Jersey
February 27, 2013 – March 03, 2013
East Rutherford, New Jersey
March 06, 2013 – March 10, 2013
Uniondale, New York
March 13, 2013 – March 17, 2013
Brooklyn, New York
March 20, 2013 – April 01, 2013
Youngstown, Ohio
April 05, 2013 – April 07, 2013
Norfolk, Virginia
April 11, 2013 – April 14, 2013
Hampton, Virginia
April 17, 2013 – April 21, 2013
Louisville, Kentucky
April 25, 2013 – April 28, 2013
Hershey, Pennsylvania
May 22, 2013 – May 27, 2013
Omaha, Nebraska
May 31, 2013 – June 02, 2013
Las Vegas, Nevada
June 13, 2013 – June 16, 2013
Cleveland, Ohio
October 23, 2013 – October 27, 2013
Toledo, Ohio
November 01, 2013 – November 03, 2013
Chicago, Illinois
November 20, 2013 – December 01, 2013

You can buy your circus tickets right on the Ringling.com site so head on over there right now.

Disclosure: We attended the circus as guests of Feld Entertainment for the purpose of this post. All opinions are 100% mine.

The post Built to Amaze! Ringling Bros. and Barnam & Bailey Circus appeared first on The Mom Maven.

This year’s circus is “Built to Amaze”. Drama, surprise and wonder build the excitement so BIG that it could only be The Greatest Show On Earth. Elephants, tigers, acrobats and aerialists join together from across the globe, each a spectacular piece of the puzzle, forming one exquisite design of magnificence and precision. From the blueprints to the band, from the crates to the clowns, from the hammer to the high wire comes one breathtaking performance of non-stop thrills so astonishing you have to see it to believe it. Join us as we measure out the perfect mix of marvel and majesty in an imagination equation where the impossible comes to life.

Be a part of the brand-new spectacles from around the world immersed in the circus tradition you have come to know and love. Experience it live and feel the amazement! Children Of All Ages will be inspired for years to come at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Built To Amaze! Playing the Tampa Bay Times Forum Jan. 2-6. Tickets start at $16 and are available at ticketmaster.com and the Forum Box Office.

Performances:
Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 7:30pm
Thursday, Jan. 3 at 7:30pm
Friday, Jan. 4 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Jan. 5 at 11:30am, 3:30pm, 7:30pm
Sunday, Jan. 6 at 1pm and 5pm

We will be attending the Thursday night show and we are so excited!One of you will be winning a family four pack of tickets to the performance of your choice! Even if you don’t win, you can get a Family Value Pack for only $88! This includes four $16 tickets, four small lemonades, four small popcorns, and four lollipops. This offer is valid for any performance except those on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the Tampa Bay Times Forum ticket office or ticketmaster.com using code FAMDEAL.

The Giveaway

You MUST live in or be visiting the Tampa Bay area between January 2-6, 2013. You MUST be able to pick up the tickets at “will call” prior to the beginning of the show. The giveaway ends at 12:01am on December 18, 2012.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I will be receiving a family 4 pack of tickets for sharing this giveaway with you. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Happy New Year!

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