Sentinel staff report–
Jugglers, flying acrobats, motorcycles and more will be coming to Citrus Heights later this month as Circus Vargas rolls into town from Sept. 20-24.
The travelling circus annually sets up for several days outside Sunrise Mall and venues in other cities, changing up the performances offered each year for a unique experience. This year’s circus will feature a pirate theme, promising attendees “a fantastic voyage of non-stop action and adventure,” according to the circus’ website. Daredevils, “death-defying acrobats,” clowns, contortionists, and comedians, are among the performers listed on schedule.
Showtimes are scheduled to begin in the evenings, with additional daytime showings on Saturday and Sunday. Organizers recommend attendees arrive 30 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 $15 for kids tickets and $25 for adult tickets in bleacher seats in the far back, with higher priced options climbing up to $72 for front row VIP seats. Kids under 2 years old are free.
As of Sept. 7, discounted tickets can also be purchased through the Ben Ali Shrine website, with prices listed at $10 for kids and $15 for adults. The Shriner tickets can also be used at the circus’ other upcoming performances in Roseville and Folsom.
Circus Vargas is run by CEO Nelson Quiroga, who founded Tabares Entertainment in 2005 along with his wife Katya. According to a video published on circusvargas.com, Quiroga’s 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 and took the reigns of Circus Vargas after the prior owners retired.
The traveling circus is currently making the rounds in Northern California, most recently setting up in Fairfield, followed by the Chico Mall, and then on to Citrus Heights. The circus will also set up at the Galleria at Roseville from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7, followed by a four-day stint at Lakeside Church in Folsom, from Oct. 10-14.
Tickets can be purchased at the door, or online at circusvargas.com
