Maritime Circus Festival
Location: Kijipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia
Venues: Halifax Circus, St. Matthew’s United Church, The Seahorse Tavern, Peace & Friendship Park
Dates: Thursday September 14 - Sunday September 17, 2023
Event Description:
A four-day celebration of contemporary circus in the vibrant cultural hub of Halifax, Atlantic Canada’s largest city, bringing together artists from around the Maritimes and across Canada. This year’s festival will feature performances of the profoundly personal and moving Twist of Fate by Ontario’s Look Up Theatre, currently touring across Canada. There will be an immersive opening gala on Thursday evening featuring food, drink, and surprising performances pushing the boundaries of circus, theatre, and art. The following days will host a number of events including: a spectacular variety show of top circus artists in the gorgeous 450-person sanctuary of St. Matthew’s United Church, a family-friendly free outdoor event, an evening fire performance, social circus panel and discussion hosted by Montreal’s Cirque Hors Piste, and a bawdy, intimate 18+ cabaret featuring local drag, burlesque, and variety artists.
Individual Schedule of Events
OPENING NIGHT GALA
Date: Thursday September 14
Time: 7-10pm
Location: Halifax Circus Gymnasium, 1479 Barrington street, Halifax NS
Cost: $20-$40 (PWYC available)
Our opening night will be a mesmerizing evening featuring all the delights that Halifax Circus has to offer. Guests will be invited to join our costumed characters at a masquerade themed party to enjoy a host of sensory delights: from magic, juggling, and bubbles to local snacks and drinks served by aerialists. Throughout the evening guests will be treated to a variety of surprise circus performances happening right in the crowd. This is your chance to get up close and personal with local artists while we kick off our inaugural festival in style!
Proceeds from this event will go towards funding our DISCO circus program, a first of its kind in Nova Scotia, which seeks to provide an accessible, non-judgemental, and safe space for disabled and other-ed bodies to enjoy and experiment with all kinds of circus activities.
Note: Costumes are encouraged! A tickle trunk will be available if you are seeking a costume change.
Featuring:
Taylor Zupiter, Maddy Cox, Kyle Scott, Ethan Avila, Hilary Kate, Vanessa Furlong, Catherine Murray, Annie Jivalian, The Jugglin' Bubblers, Aerial Bartending (dry bar), Snacks, Popcorn & more!
TWIST OF FATE
Friday September 15 7PM
Special Presentation of Twist of Fate by Lookup Theatre (Ontario)
Location: Halifax Circus Gymnasium, 1479 Barrington street, Halifax NS
Cost: $20-40 (PWYC available)
The Maritime Circus Festival is excited to bring Lookup Theatre’s riveting new work to Halifax! Twist of Fate depicts the universal experience of facing and overcoming life’s obstacles, in a profoundly personal way. It is the true story of our Artistic Director, Angola Murdoch. The performance portrays her diagnosis, surgery, and recovery from scoliosis and how she lives with a 10-inch metal spine eventually building a career as an international professional circus artist for over two decades.
https://www.lookuptheatre.com/general-8
FREE family-friendly Circus Picnic in the Park;
Under The Sea Carnival
NOTE: Event has been changed to SUNDAY SEPT 17TH 12-2pm at Halifax Circus
Date: Sunday September 17th
Time: 12-2pm
Location: Halifax Circus - 1479 Barrington Street
Cost: Free!
Come one come all to a fun afternoon in the park! Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to spend a few hours enjoying the sun and circus. There will be demonstrations and performances of acts of all kinds, featuring local pre-professional artists and students from around the city. Learn to juggle, hula hoop, or spin a plate! Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.
There will be two 30min student showcase style “stage” shows, with a 30 minute intermission. This is to give public the opportunity to work around schedules - arrive a little late, or leave a little early and still catch some of the talent.
Donations will be accepted for Halifax Circus’s Circus Circle, a social circus program that seeks to provide a free and safe space for youth, no matter their life circumstances, to learn life skills through circus arts.
GREATER SECRETS CABARET;
A Tarot inspired Contemporary circus event
UPDATE: CANCELLED/ POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
Saturday September 16
Time: 9pm-10:30pm
Location: St. Matthew’s United Church; Upstairs from Halifax Circus Gymnasium
Cost: $20-$40 (PWYC available)
In the beauty of the 250-year-old St. Matthew’s Church audiences will be treated to some of the best circus the Maritimes has to offer. The evening will be a feast of light, sound, and soaring acrobatic and aerial performances from artists representing a diversity of local companies. An event not to be missed!
Performances By:
Anastassia Burynskaya, Monique Ryan, Guinevere Last, Ethan Avila, Mads Higgins, Aiyana Graham, Cait Anthony, Catherine Murrary, Vincenzo Ravindra "Actual Wizard", Annie Jivalian, Chris Maclean, Maddie Morris
Social Circus interactive discussion
Sunday September 17 2-4pm
Location: Halifax Circus
Join visiting artists and facilitators for an interactive presentation and a short workshop on the foundations of social circus with Daphne Morin from Cirque Hors Piste, a Montreal-based social circus organization that uses circus for social transformation with marginalized youth. Daphne is the coordinator for Cirque Hors Piste's national component called Cirakskina, a pan-Canadian social circus network that gathers social circus communities from across the country.
“merde!” The Maritime Circus Festival Closing party & Variety show (19+)
Date: Sunday September 17
Event time: 7-11pm
Show time: 8-9pm
Cost: $20-$30 (PWYC available)
Venue: The Seahorse Tavern
Join us to celebrate the end of the first Maritime Circus Festival with a very special variety show for 19+ audiences. Sexy, silly, bawdy, odd, and possibly dangerous are just some of the kinds of acts you’ll see. Expect performances from burlesque, drag, circus, sideshow, magic, and fire artists. Grab a drink and leave your expectations (and sensibilities) at the door!
Tunes by Leown
Performances by:
Lumen Lux, Laura Selenzi, Hoopnotic Kait, Mister O’Mazing, Mike Hirschbach, +More