Shriners Circus comes to Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - If the red and yellow stripes in the parking lot of the old Kmart building off Stratford Road conjure images of clowns and elephants, it's for good reason.

It's a circus tent.

Not just any circus tent - a traditional "Big Top" circus tent capable of holding about 2,600 people.

It's the first time Shriners International's El Katif Shrine in Spokane is holding a circus in Moses Lake.

The circus is Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., at the old Kmart parking lot, 1020 Stratford Rd. Tickets will be available at the circus' ticket booth starting noon Thursday. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $15 for reserved seating and $25 for a ringside seat.

The shrine has already held successful circuses in Spokane and Pasco, said El Katif Potentate Kim Berg.

The organization is hoping to increase their exposure in Moses Lake, which is part of their jurisdiction, said Berg. Hosting a circus in Moses Lake also helps the shrine make connections with children who could benefit from the services of the Shriners Hospital in Spokane, he added.

While proceeds from the circus do not support Shriners hospitals, they do help the shrine with operating costs and other Shriner activities such as appearing in parades, he said.

The circus is a European-style, meaning there's one ring, said Berg. People will see clowns, aerial acts, teeter boards and animal acts including horses, dogs and elephants, he said.

"It's just good, family fun," he said. "There's nothing extremely sophisticated about it other than just good entertainment."

For more information on the circus or the El Katif Shrine, visit www.elkatif.org/shrinecircus.html.