written by Ariele Ebacher based on an interview with Clayton Cox

In this day and age, it's a rare treat to find entertainment that truly caters to small-town life and local communities. Much of our culture is designed for mass appeal, but in small towns across Kentucky and Indiana, Circus Grimaldi brings the magic of "circus day" directly to the people.

Now in its third year, Circus Grimaldi began as a four-person fundraising show for a local organization. When that first run sold out, they decided to take it on the road with a 250-seat tent. Because the show remains relatively small, they can bring it to smaller communities, typically those with populations around 2,000.

By partnering with local nonprofits, Grimaldi directly taps into the communities it visits. Each year, those relationships deepen as the show is invited back. This year's show features a cast of eight artists who also set up the tent, run the tech, and handle ticket and concession sales. With a trained rat act, aerialists, jugglers, and clowns, the show adheres to a traditional circus model. Co-owner Clayton Cox says, "We made the show to serve the audiences in small towns that other bigger shows have abandoned. The people are so surprised that something is coming to them, and they bring that appreciation and wonderment into the tent with them." For Clayton, the intimate experience of a small show and the quality of interaction between audience and performer are the true measures of its success.