Sentinel staff report–
The big top is returning to Citrus Heights, with new performances and entertainment scheduled for Sept. 21-25 at Sunrise Mall. A massive tent for the circus will be set up in the mall parking lot, made of 90,000 square feet of fabric and secured by over four miles of rope and cable that reportedly weigh over 17 tons.
Although bringing the circus annually to Citrus Heights and cities, Circus Vargas seeks to change up the performances offered each year for a unique experience. This year’s “Steam Cirque” theme will feature a new “retro-futuristic production” with goggles, gears and gadgets in a “science-fiction fantasy inspired circus odyssey,” according to a news release.
Showtimes are largely scheduled to begin in the evenings, with additional daytime showings on Saturday and Sunday. Organizers recommend attendees arrive 45 minutes early for the better seating options and also to participate in pre-show interactive features, where kids “can create their own magic under the big top, learning circus skills such as juggling, balancing and more.”
Standard ticket prices for first-come, first-serve seats range from $17 for bleacher seats in the far back, up to $72 for front row VIP seats. Kids under 2 years old are free.
Circus President and CEO Nelson Quiroga founded Tabares Entertainment in 2005 along with his wife Katya, with the pair taking the reigns of Circus Vargas after the prior owners retired, according to a video published on circusvargas.com. The CEO said his family immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s with “no money whatsoever, just with a dream,” but soon moved up the ownership ladder.
Quiroga’s traveling circus is currently making the rounds in Northern California, most recently setting up at the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds, followed by a 5-day show in Citrus Heights, and then on to Folsom and Roseville.
Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online at circusvargas.com
