Ray Slizewski worked to create dishes that would make the crew feel right at home—even if that meant serving alligator tails or yak meat.

It’s not every day you see a five-year-old boy in a white tuxedo walking a tightrope twenty feet in the air.

Depending on your chocolate needs, enjoy chocolate waffles at any meal or snack time. It’s okay to indulge.

Does an injury end a career in the circus? For Danny Rodriguez, a fifth-generation circus performer born to aerialist parents, nothing would stop him.

The thought process, symbolism, and history behind a clown’s makeup is far more complicated than meets the diamond-shaped eye.

Watch a video of Listo Trapèze Volant, an aerialist team formed specifically for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival to showcase some of the best flying trapeze artists from around the world.

Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Crystal La-Caille found herself drawn to the colors and cultures of UniverSoul Circus.

“We’re rolling out the red carpet for the youth circuses of tomorrow who are coming up today. The top hat is a symbol of that,” says ringmaster Tim Mack.

Look into Emma Clarke’s backyard in Sarasota, Florida, and you’ll probably find the 11-year-old performing professional-grade circus routines for a neighborhood crowd.

It seemed so surreal, dropping off art to the Smithsonian in preparation for the Folklife Festival, but when I saw the Big Top on the National Mall, I felt like I was coming home.