FSU circus & kids' camp at Panama City Beach

[kurt]

New “Circus by the Sea” to Feature Beachside Big Top,

Florida State University Flying High Circus in Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (December 5, 2007) – In June of 2008, Florida’s newest seasonal attraction – Circus by the Sea – will spring to life at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach, bringing a dazzling three-ring aerial and stage production to visitors and residents alike. Presented by Flying High, LLC, Circus by the Sea will showcase junior and senior performers from the renowned Florida State University Flying High Circus, celebrating 60 years of spellbinding entertainment. Circus by the Sea will also debut the area’s first children’s circus camp, which will include lessons in a wide variety of thrilling circus performance skills, entertaining games and fun activities.
“I’m excited to bring the ‘Greatest Collegiate Show on Earth’ to the area” said Donald Hamrick, Circus Presenter. “Circus by the Sea will provide a wonderfully unique family entertainment option during one of Panama City Beach’s busiest seasons.”
With seating for 2,000, the colorful, air-conditioned beachside Big Top will start to rise above the sandy shores at Frank Brown Park on May 12, 2008. Nightly performances will begin on June 13 and will run six days a week (Monday thru Saturday) through August 2. Audiences will enjoy a full evening of jaw-dropping routines rivaling any professional troupe, with occasional special guest intermission performances. Admission is $24 for adults, $16 for children (ages 4-16) and free for children under 4 years old.
Beginning June 23, 2008, Circus by the Sea will hold week-long (Monday thru Thursday) Circus Camps* for children ages 7 to 12through July 24. Working one-on-one with FSU performers, circus campers will learn to perform various basic circus performance skills, from balancing acts to juggling, and, yes, even flying high on the trapeze.
According to Hamrick, there are sponsorship opportunities available to area businesses and organizations interested in partnering with Circus by the Sea. Sponsorship packages include advertising and promotional exposure, on-site signage, tickets, and ring announcements at various performances.
For more information on Circus by the Sea and Circus Camp, please visit www.CircusByTheSea.com. For more information on FSU’s Flying High Circus, visit www.circus.fsu.edu. To purchase tickets for Circus by the Sea, or for specific information on performance times, call (866) 234-8895.
*Circus Camp runs $285/week for one child and includes a daily snack.

[Jdarg]

YESSSSS!!!!

[SWGB]

It's made it this long without the "clown college" reference?

[Beach Runner]

Oh, honey, in my experience being born and raised in Georgia, FSU was always referred to as "The Circus School" due to their presence at Callaway Gardens. As high school students choosing colleges, none of us chose FSU because we thought that circus was the only major. I guess that's ignorant, but that's the image that was projected to us.

[Jdarg]

Oh, honey, in my experience being born and raised in Georgia, FSU was always referred to as "The Circus School" due to their presence at Callaway Gardens. As high school students choosing colleges, none of us chose FSU because we thought that circus was the only major. I guess that's ignorant, but that's the image that was projected to us.

That's too bad. I know 3 successful FSU grads who all took Circus classes. They all speak of it with much excitement.

You don't "get" Circus until you participate in some way. Isn't that like it is with many things though- you have to take a close enough look to appreciate. We were lucky enough to participate in Circus of the Kids, and we can't wait to see Circus by the Sea and see this program in person after hearing about it for so many years!

[Beach Runner]

That's too bad. I know 3 successful FSU grads who all took Circus classes. They all speak of it with much excitement.

You don't "get" Circus until you participate in some way. Isn't that like it is with many things though- you have to take a close enough look to appreciate. We were lucky enough to participate in Circus of the Kids, and we can't wait to see Circus by the Sea and see this program in person after hearing about it for so many years!

We saw it every year on a class trips to Callaway Gardens. So we got unimpressed with it after so many years.

[Johnrudy]

I never knew this about FSU's reputation (Flying High Circus). I guess it's also a big rival with Univ. of FL. All I know is it has a very respected school of music, comparable to NYU, Cincinnati, Oberlin & many others across the country. It's on my son's list. I've been extremely impressed with FSU - maybe even more so than any other schools in FL (horrors!!).

The Circus by the Sea sounds awesome!

[Beach Runner]

I never knew this about FSU's reputation (Flying High Circus). I guess it's also a big rival with Univ. of FL. All I know is it has a very respected school of music, comparable to NYU, Cincinnati, Oberlin & many others across the country. It's on my son's list. I've been extremely impressed with FSU - maybe even more so than any other schools in FL (horrors!!).

The Circus by the Sea sounds awesome!

I didn't know that it had a good reputation as a music school until our daughter got involved in music at an advanced level when she was 11. Again, all we saw in Georgia was the circus thing.

[Carol G]

I never knew this about FSU's reputation (Flying High Circus). I guess it's also a big rival with Univ. of FL. All I know is it has a very respected school of music, comparable to NYU, Cincinnati, Oberlin & many others across the country. It's on my son's list. I've been extremely impressed with FSU - maybe even more so than any other schools in FL (horrors!!). The Circus by the Sea sounds awesome!

Come to a Sinfonia Gulf Coast concert to see/hear some of the fabulous musical talent of FSU; several of our musicians are FSU students, doctoral candidates and professors.

www.sinfoniagulfcoast.org

[SWGB]

I never knew this about FSU's reputation (Flying High Circus). I guess it's also a big rival with Univ. of FL. All I know is it has a very respected school of music, comparable to NYU, Cincinnati, Oberlin & many others across the country. It's on my son's list. I've been extremely impressed with FSU - maybe even more so than any other schools in FL (horrors!!).

The Circus by the Sea sounds awesome!

If it is and you own a house in South Walton have the utilities put in his name and get him a Florida driver's license the next time you are down here. Only takes one year to prove "residency".

[Johnrudy]

If it is and you own a house in South Walton have the utilities put in his name and get him a Florida driver's license the next time you are down here. Only takes one year to prove "residency".

I have to say, FSU is cheapest of all of the colleges on his list, even for out of state. Even cheaper that UofI. But it would be easier to get accepted to FSU as a FL resident. But anywho, we would love for him to attend because of the proximity to the beaches.

[InletBchDweller]

Thanks Kurt for this post. This sounds like funn!!!

[ShallowsNole]

Would y'all believe that in all the time I've spent at FSU and in Tallahassee, even in the spring when the circus is running, I have never made it inside the big top?

This will be awesome!

[SWGB]

Would y'all believe that in all the time I've spent at FSU and in Tallahassee, even in the spring when the circus is running, I have never made it inside the big top?

This will be awesome!

You may enjoy it more than your kids. I grew up around it so I may have to suffer through it with my niece. It's really cool, but once you've seen it 2-3 dozen times it kinda gets repetitive. Wait until yours kids try to mimic the board on pipe routine, my sister chipped a tooth doing that.

[pmd8]

If it is and you own a house in South Walton have the utilities put in his name and get him a Florida driver's license the next time you are down here. Only takes one year to prove "residency".

One must physically reside in Florida for at least 12 months to be considered a resident by FSU and other state schools.

Unless you want to provide your child with early instruction in fraud, simply getting a driver's license and utilities in one's name does not constitute legal residency. FSU could rightfully demand repayment of tuition and dismiss him from school. Criminal prosecution, while unlikely, is also possible.

[InletBchDweller]

Here is am email that I received when I asked for more information....

There will be 6 sessions that will be Monday – Thursday (4 days) from 9 am – 2 pm]
Each session will include circus skills as well as games and other indoor and outdoor activities (to come)
Ages: Children 7-12 years of ageCost: $285 per session
Place: Frank Brown Park
Reservations: To reserve a spot for your child, send a note with the exact session in which you wish to enroll, your name, your child’s name, telephone, email, mailing address and a check made payable to Circus By The Sea/Day Camp. Additional forms and information will be sent to you. You may cancel your Day Camp reservation no later than March 1st, 2008 for a full refund

Session 1: June 23-26
Session 2: June 30-July 3
Session 3: July 7-10
Session 4: July 14-17
Session 5: July 21-24
Session 6: July 28-31

[Smiling JOe]

I remember seeing the FSU show at Callaway Gardens, and I loved it. Watching Cirque du Soleil, I became very amazed at the talents of those people, and enjoy watching one of their shows more than any other sporting event I can think of.

[kurt]

Circus starts next week!

[Jdarg]

The Dargs will be haeding to the big top!

[ShallowsNole]

The Shallows will be out of town!

Will just have to pick a Saturday nite, real soon.

[Teresa]

we'll have to add this to the growing list of things to do this summer!

[scooterbug44]

Very cool!

The circus used to winter an hour from our house and one of the "must see events" was the circus train pass through town.

Hard to beat a day at the Big Top!

[kurt]

Below is a press release from the Greater Panama City Beach Chamber Of Commerce:

Panama City Beach, July 7, 2008 – Last Thursday night I took my young son to the FSU Flying High Circus at Frank Brown Park. The show was incredible and we had a great time, but as I drove home a déjà-vu sensation hit me, and I remembered the last evening of the Miracle Strip Amusement Park – in late summer 2004. That was an enchanted evening, full of rides, laughter, people…but it was also sad. There was the sense of the passing of time…. nostalgic, sweet but heartrending.

After that night it would close down forever. My own family, who has lived in PCB for-almost ever, was with me and introduced me to Buddy Wilkes that night. I couldn’t have known what he must have been feeling. I had only just moved here weeks earlier and had not yet acclimated to the culture, the community, or the multitude of childhood memories existing within the walls of that amusement park.

Driving home from the circus last Thursday night felt so similar, because the FSU Flying High Circus, Panama City Beach’s newest summer family attraction, has announced that it will be here only one more week…cut short from its August 2nd original finale. Attendance has not been high enough, and I was told the Big Top would be going down by Thursday or Friday, July 11th at the latest. I am completely devastated, and actually shocked. Why wouldn’t thousands of people want to experience this show while either vacationing – or staycationing – on their summer holiday?

This is not just any circus, as I discovered, this is a unique and very memorable show because of the choreography and storyline that go behind it, the obvious details that went into the production, and the sweetness and pure aspiration on the performers faces – all FSU college students.

The night began with our ringmaster introducing the show, a retrospective celebration of the Flying High Circus’ 61 years of performances, and started off with a nostalgic 1940’s-style double trapeze and sky pole act. The performers donned outfits of 40’s circus glam, satin and pastels, swinging gracefully to the strains of Sinatra. That act quickly moved into the 50’s with a fantastic juggling act and a bee-bop dance style performance called Quartette Adagio, where one of the performers was a human jump rope. The sixties were celebrated with a trapeze and Roman rings act and Teeterboard performance that brought the see-saw to a whole new level.

We reeled through the decades, with incredible feats of athleticism choreographed to the hit music of the times. We stayed on the edge of our seats as the performances shifted from up high with various aerial acts to the floor, where performers amazed us with their agility and strength. When the final act of the evening ended, a flying trapeze performance that hinted to the incredible future of this great program, we took a few minutes to meet the performers and tell them how much we enjoyed the show.

They were just as impressive in person as they were in the performance, talking to people, posing for pictures and seeming to truly enjoy every minute of it. These are the kind of kids you hope are our future.

The truth is, this community is so lucky to have had the chance to host this special attraction, and we should be honored that they chose Panama City Beach to be their summer home. Instead, this beautiful Big Top, which seats up to 2,100 guests per night, has gotten nightly visits from an average of 200 guests. There is only one thing any of us can do to possibly save the circus from leaving, and that is to go see the circus. It’s $15.00 for local adults, $10.00 for local kids, and free for children under 4. The circus’ location is the east end of Frank Brown Park, at N. Pier Park Drive right off of Panama City Beach Parkway. The FSU Flying High Circus will be performing at 7:00 nightly through Thursday, July 10th. For tickets or more information, call (866) 234-8895 or visit www.circusbythesea.com. Please, come see the show and help save the circus from leaving!

[kurt]

Video - Panama City Beach Circus by the Sea Preview on Vimeo