Fern Street Circus Throws Birthday Bash, But Gift is for Community at Annual Free Tour

The Fern Street Circus kicks off its 2025 Neighborhood Tour next month at Park de la Cruz in City Heights.

The annual tour, beginning April 12, will include six free public performances at parks and recreation centers over three weekends. The other dates are:

• April 13 – North Park Recreation Center, 4044 Idaho St.
• April 19  – Cesar Chavez Recreation Center, 455 Sycamore Road
• April 20 – Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive
• April 26 – Azalea Park, 2596 Violet St.
• April 27  – Gompers Park, 4926 Hilltop Drive

The shows feature a collaboration between professional circus artists, musicians and performers under 18 from Fern Street Circus’s free after-school program in City Heights.

This year’s show is titled “Big Birthday Bash” in celebration of Heartman, a 10-foot puppet that has served as the circus mascot for the last 10 years. Heartman was inspired by a drawing by then 7-year-old Michael Zimmerman, son of co-founder Cindy Zimmerman, of a superhero whose body is comprised entirely of hearts.

Artist Sergio “Surge” Hernandez and Iain Gunn of Animal Cracker Conspiracy later helped bring the drawing to life. Their creation has become a centerpiece for the circus’ annual shows.

“We are celebrating Heartman’s birthday, but we’re also bringing visibility to the strong, vibrant communities that have been experiencing hardships,” said Catalina Paz, Fern Street’s circus artistic director and show creator.

“Our goal is to bring people together, whatever their ages and backgrounds, for an unforgettable spectacle that is joyful and universal. It’s our gift to the community, so they can hopefully forget about the bad for just a little while and simply have a good time.”

Circus performer and costumer Cheryl Lindley will be this year’s co-ringleader in collaboration with student performers. A clowning duo, Paz as “Abuelita” and Lucy Forton as “Grandpa Gerold,” will be part of the Big Birthday Bash show, along with a variety of other circus acts, including juggling, contortion, puppetry, chair balancing and more.

The show is free to the public. In addition, Live Well San Diego will provide free community health resource fairs that open before the circus. Pre-show concerts will feature student performers from Mariachi Victoria de San Diego.