Come one, come all, and celebrate the 2023 Egypt Shrine Circus. The Egypt Shrine Circus has been offering affordable family fun and entertainment for generations in the Tampa Bay area, and this year the 58th annual circus will be held for the first time at the International Independent Showmen’s Association grounds, located at 6915 Riverview Dr. in Riverview, from Thursday through Sunday, April 6-9.
This three-ring circus is back in full swing after COVID-19 cancellations, and the new location under the big top at the Showmen’s grounds promises to bring a bigger and better circus than ever.
The Egypt Shrine Clowns will be performing and are sure to bring hijinks and hilarity as they perform under the lights in the big top. Along with traditional clown performances, there will be professional performances from Circus Hollywood.
“We couldn’t ask for a better partnership than with the Showmen’s Association. The grounds and location are perfect to put on family-fun performances with some of the best performers in the circus industry,” said Dennis McDermott, circus director.
In addition to the circus, there will be a carnival managed by Arnold International Carnivals, along with a petting zoo, food vendors, games and more.
The circus show hours are on Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m.; Friday, April 7 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 8 at 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 9 at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Come early to the shows as seats are limited to the first 1,000 individuals.
What’s more, the Shriners are celebrating the opening of the new Egypt Shrine Center, located on the Palm River at 5017 E. Washington St. in Tampa, south of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway. The building has many features, including a 30,000-square-foot facility that has multiple areas available to rent for events large or small. There is also the Palm River Oasis and Waterfront Grille, providing a full bar and limited food menu open to the public. The full kitchen is due for completion in March.
“Our new Shrine Center will bring new visibility and provide a central place for many activities, including Shrine-sponsored events like the ever-popular, annual Feztival of Trees,” said Dennis Bryant, the Egypt Shrine potentate.
For more information on the circus, visit http://egyptshrinecircus.com/. For information on the Shrine Center, visit www.esctampa.com.
