Fern Street Circus Takes Free ‘Home’ Show on Month-long Local Tour

The Fern Street Circus will kick off its annual Neighborhood Tour on Saturday at Teralta Park in the first of 10 performances set over the next five weekends.

The popular tour takes place at parks and recreation centers from mid-city to San Ysidro.

All shows begin at 2 p.m. Here’s the schedule:

• Saturday – Teralta Park, over Interstate 15, between Orange and Polk avenues
• Sunday –  Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive
• April 13 – Memorial Park, 2975 Ocean View Blvd.              
• April 14  –  Azalea Park, 2596 Violet Street
• April 20 –  Colina del Sol Park, 5319 Orange Ave.
• April 21 –  Gompers Park, 4926 Hilltop Drive, Chollas View
• April 27  – Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park, 4455 Wightman St., City Heights
• April 28 – North Park Recreation Center, 4044 Idaho St.
• May 4  – Cesar Chavez Recreation Center, 455 Sycamore Road, San Ysidro
• May 5 – Park de la Cruz, 3603 38th St., Cherokee Point

The showcase includes professional circus artists and musicians alongside students from Fern Street Circus’s free afterschool program in City Heights and elementary school residency programs in Imperial Beach.

The theme of this year’s show is “Home,” inspired by the circus’ recent move into its first dedicated indoor space at the former Central Elementary School building in City Heights.

“In the world today, as well as right here in our own backyard, many people have found themselves far from home or without a home,” said Catalina Paz, creator/director of this year’s show. “Being able to recover a sense of ‘home’ within community means more than ever.”

As in past years, the circus has partnered with the city of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation Department, Mariachi Victoria de San Diego and San Diego County’s Live Well San Diego program for the series of shows and health resource fairs.

The shows will feature the M.C. team of Grandma and Grandpa (Paz as “Abuelita” and Lucy Forton as “Grandpa Gordon”), live music and circus acts, including juggling, clowns, contortion, tightwire, puppetry and more.

The global cast includes professional circus artists from Ethiopia, Chile and Mexico. A core group of 14 students, ages 7 to 20, also help bring “Home” to life.

The shows are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome and no tickets are required.