Since the beginning of time, children have threatened to run away and join the circus. In 2007, 11 St. Louis
teenagers did just that. And filmmaker Alexandra Lipsitzwas there to catch all their triumphs and tribulations in her film Circus Kids.
Accompanied by an entourage of a dad, clown, mentor, social circus director and Lipsitz, the kids of Circus Harmony’s St. Louis Arches traveled to Israel to work with the Jewish and Arab children of the Galilee Circus. For many of the performers, this is their first time abroad. Despite the Arches’ struggles with cultural differences and language barriers, enduring friendships with their Middle Eastern counterparts and an entertaining show develops.
You can catch the St. Louis premier of Circus Kids during the St.Louis International Film Festival. The screening is happening on Sunday, November 21 at 1:30 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Theatre. Directly following the screening, a benefit gala will be held at the Regional Arts Commission. The cost for a combined film and gala ticket is $15 for children and students, $35 for adults, and $95 for patrons. Order your tickets today!
If you like Circus Kids, check out the Circus Harmony performers in person. They make regular appearances at the Youth City Showcase at the City Museum and are a highlight of Circus Flora. For more information on the Arches or for a schedule of where they will be performing, visit Circus Harmony’s website.
By Andrea Wilson, Events Blogger for SmartParenting
March brings a very special kind of tropical madness to the Butterfly House in Faust Park! Thousands of breathtaking Blue Morpho butterflies take up residence to welcome spring.
See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises!
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the Chinese lantern festival Animals Aglow! Animals Aglow returns to illuminate the Saint Louis Zoo for the second year with dozens of new, towering lanterns and light displays.
Hop into story time with Peter Rabbit at The Magic House! This Peter Rabbit-themed story time is interactive and includes a surprise appearance by Peter Rabbit himself.