Circus takes center stage
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE ANAH SHRINE KLOWNS welcomed children of all ages to this year’s 50th annual Anah Temple Shine Circus, which was held May 2-4 at The Forum in Presque Isle. The klowns were kept busy blowing up balloons and signing autographs. Pictured with some of the jovial performers are, from left: Alex White of Ashland, Caleb Holder, Ava Holder and Nolan Holder, all of Mapleton; and Chase Coiley of Fort Fairfield.
Staff photos/Scott Mitchell Johnson
LOREN KING and his 18-month-old daughter, Layla, of Mars Hill, were among the thousands of people who attended this year’s 50th annual Anah Temple Shrine Circus. While Layla liked her fez hat and light-up toy, she seemed to enjoy her cotton candy the most.
KARIN PETRIN of Presque Isle, a student at NMCC, was one of the many volunteers who helped make cotton candy at this year’s Anah Temple Shrine Circus.
CHARLEY VAN BUSKIRK, who for many is the face of the Anah Temple Shrine Circus, returned as the ringmaster of this year’s production. Van Buskirk, who started his circus career as a unicyclist, has been coming to The Forum since 1979 and said it wouldn’t be spring if he “didn’t get up to The County.”
CLOWNING AROUND — The 50th annual Anah Temple Shrine Circus wrapped up its six-show run Saturday night at The Forum in Presque Isle. Posing with several Anah Shrine Klowns before the start of Saturday morning’s performance were, from left: Ashland brothers Jacob Tilley, Ethan Tilley and Joseph Tilley. This year’s circus featured everything from performing bears to aerial artistry.
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — This year’s 50th annual Anah Temple Shrine Circus, which was dedicated to the memory of Tom Clukey, put smiles on the faces of ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages.
Produced by the Royal Hanneford Circus of Sarasota, Fla., this year’s program featured Castle’s Performing Bears; the comedy of The One and Only Johnny Peers; jugglers extraordinaire of Argentina, The Oliveros; The Daring and Lovely Luisa who performed on the aerial Roman rings; comedy canine stars, The Muttville Comix; The Amazing Jonathan, a champion of balance on the roller cylinders; amazing unicycle troupe, The Rinny Family; the astounding aerial artistry of The Marinof Duo; Duo A&A, who demonstrated their extraordinary strength and endurance; The Urias Troupe, which performed a motorcycle globe act; Luisa, the Lady in the Moon; and the Anah Shrine Klowns.
Ringmaster Charley Van Buskirk, who for many is the face of the Anah Temple Shrine Circus, returned with his signature red coat and top hat.
“In one capacity or another, I’ve been part of the Anah Temple Shrine Circus for 42 of those 50 years,” said Van Buskirk, who lives in the Finger Lakes country of New York State. “I came up the first time in 1970 and my wife and I did our unicycle act. Then I came back to announce in 1973 and have been turning up like a bad penny — every year — ever since. A lot of kids have grown up thinking I’m the only ringmaster.
“We used to do shows in Caribou at a little armory, but once The Forum was built, we started coming to Presque Isle in 1979,” he said. “I like the people up here and I like Aroostook County. The first time I played in Aroostook County I was in Houlton with another show back in 1964, and I was talking with a local gent and I told him how much I liked the area and the countryside and he said, ‘You should come back when the potatoes are in bloom.’ I took that with a bit of a grain of salt until I actually came back when the potatoes were in bloom and they are a sight to see. It’s absolutely beautiful. I enjoy being in Presque Isle and I have a lot of friends up here, and I look forward to it every year. It wouldn’t be spring if I didn’t get up to The County.”
Van Buskirk grew up in a performing family.
“I started in my Dad’s cycling act when I was 3 years old. I did a solo for a while and then partnered with a Mexican cyclist for a while although we looked a little like Mutt and Jeff; I was tall and blonde and he was short and dark,” he said. “When I married my wife, she was a dancer specializing in Adagio, which is the type of dance where the girl is lifted and spun. Her ex-partner was a friend of my Dad’s from the Vaudeville days and he thought the world of both of us and he coached us … sometimes up to five hours a night, almost every night and didn’t want any money for it. He just wanted us to put something together we could make work.”
Serving as the ringmaster enables Van Buskirk to “stay on the road and associated with other show people which is what I like.”
“I’m at an age where most people are retired, so I don’t push for the extra work as much as I used to,” he said, noting that a lot of the animal acts over the years have been regulated pretty much out of business. “I’m happy with doing some circus dates and a fair or two. I’ve also been on the announcing staff for the Eastern States Exposition for close to 40 years now.”
When asked how long he plans to continue as ringmaster, Van Buskirk said, “I think I’m approaching the halfway point of my career, but I never have been good at math.”
Jim Dwyer, one of the assistant chairmen for the Anah Shriners, called this year’s circus “another huge success.”
The circus is always well attended when it stops in the Star City.
“For the last few years, we’ve had more than 14,000 people come to the circus,” said Dwyer.
Circus proceeds benefit the Anah Temple.
