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Zoppé Italian Family Circus may have about 180 years' worth of history behind it, but you don't stay in the spotlight for close to two centuries without keeping things fresh.
Giovanni Zoppé is seen balancing his son, Ilario, on his hands when the company visited Redwood City in 2021. Ilario, now a toddler, makes occasional pre-show appearances as the tiny clown Ninetto. Photo by Leah Worthington.
The family-run company brings its mix of old-world Italian circus traditions and newer acts to Redwood City Oct. 7-30 with its latest show, "Liberta."
According to an event announcement on the Redwood City website, acts new to the circus' big top this year include the Ladder of Death performed by fifth-generation circus artist Brayan Portugal; the Kaloleni Acrobats from Kenya; trapeze artist and juggler Alek Alegria Ramos; and new ringmaster Henry Lowrance.
There may even be a pre-show appearance by Ninetto, possibly one of the world's youngest clowns, played by 18-month-old Ilario Zoppé, the seventh generation of this performing family.
The circus' annual stop in Redwood City has become a Peninsula tradition on its own over the past dozen years, with the company even hosting a "drive-in" circus to accommodate social distancing in 2020.
Zoppé Italian Family Circus will be in town Oct. 7 through 30 at the Redwood City Main Library Parking Lot, 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City. Tickets are $10-$29. For more information, visit redwoodcity.org.
To read more about the Zoppé Italian Family Circus, check out our article about How the Zoppé family built a Redwood City circus legacy.
