ROCKINGHAM — The circus is coming to town.
Zerbini Family Circus will be putting on five shows under the big top in three days later this week at Rockingham Speedway and Entertainment Complex — one on Thursday evening and two each on Saturday and Sunday.
The event was originally only scheduled for the Thursday show, but the Saturday and Sunday dates were announced April 7 due to “overwhelming response.”
According to the group’s Facebook page, the family has been in the circus business for more than 250 years.
Owner Alain Zerbini told the RO on Monday that the circus began in his home country of France and said his son is the ninth generation of the family to be in the business.
Each 90-minute show features aerialists,acrobats, juggling, clowns, performing ponies, miniature donkeys, dogs and “a real life transforming car,” according to the Facebook page.
Free children’s tickets have been distributed around the community, with the adult ticket price set at $15 at the box office. However, there are special ticket prices available online at zerbinifamilycircus.com.
The circus’ schedule includes shows almost daily throughout the Carolinas for the rest of the month.
Justin Jones, vice president of operations at the speedway, said entry for the circus — and the simultaneous CARBS Tour event — will be at Gate D off of N.C. 177. The circus is “tent”atively planned to be set up between gates D and E, near the Little Rock track.
In addition to the circus, the speedway has added a few other non-motorsports events to its schedule for 2022.
The next event is Double Creek Pro Rodeo’s “Rodeo at the Rock,” scheduled for May 13-14.
The speedway announced on April 6 the Extreme Dwarfinators Wrestling show, slated for Aug. 27.
