The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON - The rumors you've heard around town this spring are true. The circus is coming to Dayton!

Carson & Barnes Circus, a family-owned and operated enterprise started in 1937, will pitch its 144-by-180 foot tent on the future site of the Blue Mountain Station, at the corner of Highway 12 and Wagon Road, on June 30 for one day - and one day only - of circus fun in the Touchet Valley.

Tickets for the two performances planned for that Thursday will go on sale through the Dayton Chamber of Commerce beginning June 1. Advance Super Saver Tickets are $25 and admit up to five people (two adults and three children, ages 2-11). Individual tickets are $10 for adults and children. If you wait until June 30, tickets will be $18 each.

The Chamber hopes to work with several local businesses, and Nancy Butler with the Columbia County Community Network, to provide free tickets to qualifying children in the community.

"We're so excited that the circus is coming," said Chamber Director Claudia Nysoe. "And we were very excited to learn that the Blue Mountain Station location will be big enough."

The Carson & Barnes Circus is a "turn-key" event, which means it's merely stopping on its way through town, and the production will provide the majority of their own services, including generators for power, portapotties, and other necessities. The Chamber has only to provide water, trash containers - and, of course, the location, Nysoe said.

Jennie Dickinson, Port of Columbia manager, said the timing would work well in conjunction with infrastructure construction planned this spring and summer at the Port's Blue Mountain Station site. The fire hydrants should be in place and available for use by the circus. Free parking will be available on the surrounding wheat stubble fields.

"I think some good things could come out of this for the whole community," Nysoe said Tuesday, hinting that other businesses in town might draw on the circus theme and organize activities that would take place concurrent with circus day. Details were not available in time for this publication.

"The tent holds 2,200 people, so we hope we can draw a big crowd from Walla Walla, College Place, Milton Freewater, Pomeroy and who knows where else," Nysoe said.

Activities will take place on the circus grounds throughout the day on June 30, starting with the exciting setup, using humans, elephants and technology to erect the 50-foot tall Big Top tent .

The Carson & Barnum Circus claims to have the second largest herd of elephants in the United States and are supporters of the Endangered Ark Foundation for the preservation of the endangered Asian elephant and other animals.

And children - plus adults! - will be excited to learn that all are invited to the circus grounds for free as the circus functions more like a zoo during the morning of June 30 as the animals arrive and are watered, fed and cared for. Come see the large educational exhibition of over two dozen types of domestic and exotic animals.

For more information on Carson & Barnes Circus, visit www.carsonbarnescircus.com. To learn more about the coming event, contact the Dayton Chamber of Commerce at (509) 382-4825.