Circus Vargas: Not Your Mama's Circus!

Circus Vargas is in SoCal and is sure to thrill your entire family! I can easily say that Circus Vargas 2020 is NOT your mama’s circus! Read on for our thoughts and experience this past weekend under the big top.

A SoCal Way of Life received tickets to Circus Vargas in exchange for our review of the experience. However, all opinions expressed here are honest and my own. This post also contains affiliate links. A SoCal Way of Life earns a commission on qualifying purchases made through these links.

How is this Circus Vargas experience different?

I bet you’re thinking, “It’s a circus. How can it be different from my mama’s circus?” Well, I can tell you that I remember going as a kid and it was a very different experience. Let me list the ways:

There are no animals

My youngest will kill me for sharing this but…she was terrified of going to the circus because she was sure there would be animals there. She has seen pictures of her father as a kid riding an elephant at the circus. She also sees those “circus” cookies that are all animal shapes. Naturally, she assumed that there would be plenty of animals in the show only feet away from us in the stands.

Well my friends, I am hear to tell you that there are no animals in the show. At least, not any “real” animals 😉 There was a cute musical portion that made use of a stuffed animal that looked like a tiger in a cage. I pointed out to my daughter that a string was pulling the tail up and down…she was both amused and relieved.

There are no oddities

My youngest was expecting a bearded lady. No, I’m not joking. I hope that didn’t make you spit out your coffee as you read it.

I would say the biggest oddity that you will find are the feats of human strength.

There are modern aerial elements

Maybe I’m wrong, but I think that swinging around in the air off of long bolts of fabric only came on the scene in the last couple of decades. You will find BOTH men and women doing beautiful, artistic dance-like moves in the air. It is a dazzling segment of the show. When you add to that the strength required to hold themselves up in the air like that and the control required to get into these positions? Simply amazing!

There are all types of “clowns”

There are two types of clowns I noticed at the show. One is the type of clown we would expect with the painted face and costume. There are not the type that you see in “IT”, so no stress guys (LOL). Another is the guy that just acts like a clown but looks like any other guy on the street.

There was a guy in between acts that did random things we wouldn’t expect and had adults and kids alike cracking up. One example is the man dressed in a flashy suit, performing a song, while chasing a spot light that doesn’t seem to want to stay on him. Trust me, it’s hilarious. My husband would say I laughed TOO much and embarrassed him 😀 I wish I had gotten some video of these bits, but honestly, I was too busy laughing and forgot to grab the camera.

Strength is exhibited by BOTH men and women

Something I very vividly remember about the circus as a little girl was that the segments featuring strength always centered on men.

Circus Vargas has definitely provided equal representation to the sexes when demonstrating feats of strength! Both men and women were performing acts that required amazing physical and mental strength to complete.

I just want to say, Thank you Circus Vargas! My little girls were watching and they noticed! It made the show that much more enjoyable for them.

You get to meet the talent!

There was a slow line to get out of the tent. We couldn’t figure out why until we got out to the lobby area.

The performers from the show were out in the lobby waiting to take a picture with everyone! This is FREE (I know what you were thinking 😉 I thought it was so sweet that they were happy to take pictures with the excited circus goers.

My girls were especially excited to meet the pair that did AMAZING tricks while on roller skates. If you follow us on Instagram @asocalwayoflife, you know that my family has recently gotten into rollerskating. My kids have been learning how to skate backwards, to quick turns. We were shocked when the pair came onto the stage and performed tricks we did not know were even possible while on skates.

Tips for your visit

Here are a few things to keep in mind before you head out:

Dress in layers

It was super hot inside the tent the day we went. It was mid to high 60’s that day, so I assume it was the lights under the tent heating things up. Of course, this is possibly different at night. Therefore, I suggest you dress in layers so that you and the family will be comfortable either way.

Take cash

There is food and vending available in the lobby and just outside the tent. Food options outside of the tent take credit, while food vending inside the tent only takes cash.

Parking

Two things about parking: 1) It’s FREE!!!! 2) Keep your eyes peeled for the entrance. The entry for the Burbank show is off of a dirt lot contained by a chain link fence. We almost missed it when we drove past 😉

Take advantage of photo opps

Aside from meeting circus performers after the show, there are some fun cutouts and posters that make for hilarious and memorable pictures 😉

Arrive early for bonus fun!

We missed it due to dumb LA traffic :/ I want to make sure you guys get the chance to check it out! Here is what Circus Vargas says: “Arrive 30 minutes early for an entertaining, interactive pre-show celebration, where kids can create their own magic under the big top, learning circus skills such as juggling, balancing and more!” Cool, right?

Show Time

The show runs for about 2 hours, including intermission.

Tickets and Show Dates

Circus Vargas is currently located in Burbank. There are more shows coming up in Southern California, which I will share below.

Locations and dates:

Burbank, California: 777 North Front Street, Dates: January 20 through February 9

Palm Desert, California: Westfield Palm Desert, February 13 through February 23

San Diego, California: Westfield Mission Valley, February 27 through March 9

Ticket Purchase Options:

Kids under 2 years of age are free!

Buy tickets online:

Option 1: Purchase through CircusVargas.com. There are various seat level options, ranging from General Admission to VIP experience. The price range is $27 to $72.

Option 2: Visit our Goldstar Link to grab tickets to select dates in your area. Prices range from complimentary to $39 in the Burbank area, PLUS any applicable fees.

Grab your discount tickets to Burbank show here>>>Circus Vargas- Westfield Palm Desert

Buy tickets via phone:

To purchase tickets by phone, call 877-GOTFUN1 (877-468-3861)

In person

Tickets can be purchased in person at the circus box office.