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Miller Circus coming to Roanoke Park on May 11

Ryan Holder and his team of tigers will perform as part of the Kelly Miller Bros. Circus, which will stage two shows — at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. — on Saturday, May 11, at Roanoke Park. The circus is sponsored by American Legion Post 160.
Ryan Holder and his team of tigers will perform as part of the Kelly Miller Bros. Circus, which will stage two shows — at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. — on Saturday, May 11, at Roanoke Park. The circus is sponsored by American Legion Post 160. Photo provided.

American Legion Post 160, Roanoke, will sponsor two performances of the Kelly Miller Bros. Circus on Saturday, May 11.

Proceeds will benefit the Legion's Honor Flight program, which provides area veterans with one-day trips to Washington, DC, where they can view memorials to the wars they fought in.

Circus performances are at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Roanoke Park. Advance tickets are available at American Legion Post 160, Bippus State Bank in Roanoke and Huntington, Carroll's Flooring, Hoosier Foods, Sparky Mart in Roanoke and EconoMart in Huntington.

The public is also invited to watch as the circus elephants raise the tent at about 9 a.m. on May 11. There is no charge to watch the tent-raising. After the first of the four poles is in place, the public will be invited inside the tent to watch the elephants and a human crew complete the task. A circus veteran will be on hand to answer questions and talk about circus life.

The Kelly Miller Bros. Circus, founded in 1938 and currently celebrating its 75th anniversary, will travel nearly 10,000 miles and give performances in more than 200 communities as it travels across North America from March through October.

The circus performances feature animals, clowns and a host of international circus performers.

While the three Asian elephants are the biggest performers in the circus, the show also features zebras in a synchronized swirling act; a patriotic revue with llamas, miniature goats and dogs; and trained tigers. The human performers present feats of juggling, trapeze artists, a dance and drum routine and a chair balancing act. A pair of clowns will provide the laughs throughout the show.