By Karen Shoulders, Director of Development and Operations
As St. Louisans pack away their swimsuits and the kids get accustomed to the back-to-school routine, at Circus Flora we are reflecting on our successful summer season.
We hope you were one of the 23,000 guests who joined us in the Big Top for “The Caper in Aisle 6”! Our 33rd Season production was a thrilling one, with criss-crossing trapeze flyers achieving feats no other troupe in the world can do, daring riders doing flips on horseback, and aerial performers astounding audiences with their strength and elegance. (Plus, St. Louis had the chance to meet Gloria, as portrayed by the incredibly multi-talented Mooky Cornish!)
We were proud to have again opened the season with a peanut-free preview, and with the help of our friends at EasterSeals Midwest and MindsEye Radio, we offered a sensory-friendly performance as well. Our Scout Day was a hit, with dozens of troops learning skills and getting a behind-the-curtain look at circus life from our very own Aurelia Wallenda, Colleen Pages of the HogDiggityDog Show, and Equestrian Advisor (and Rooster Wrangler) Laura Balding. We welcomed back families who have joined us for each and every single production in our history, met hundreds of first-time Flora fans for our Little Top Wednesdays, and hosted groups of all sizes.
We hope you enjoyed this year’s production and, for at least the two hours you spent with us, felt you too could fly.
We are grateful to our many, many supporters – the corporate sponsors, foundations, donors, and volunteers – who made our 33rd Season possible. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on our generous St. Louis community to support our production, programs such as the “Share the Circus” ticket-donation program that make it accessible to all, and year-round community outreach such as Clowns on Call. Thank you!
Not only are we celebrating a successful Big Top production, but I’m proud to share that our Sales Manager, Seana Beard, was chosen as an Explore St. Louis 2019 Hospitality Hero! Last week she was honored at Explore St. Louis’ Annual Luncheon for her exceptional customer service. (If you are curious why Seana won out amongst hundreds of St. Louis hospitality professionals, contact her to book your group for Circus Flora’s 2020 Season production….)
In the meantime, please stay tuned for more exciting news from Circus Flora, and join us at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest in the Big Top, providing family-friendly circus entertainment on Sunday, September 29, from noon to 4 pm!
