ABOUT THE GREAT BENJAMINS CIRCUS
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AT ITS VERY BEST
The Great Benjamins Circus is a celebration of human artistry, athleticism, and the timeless magic of live performance. For 90 minutes, audiences experience the energy, beauty, and excitement that only a real circus can deliver—clowns, acrobats, aerialists, and daredevils performing feats that inspire wonder and amazement.
Our caravans travel to the four corners of North America, from Florida to California, Alaska to Newfoundland and Labrador, bringing the authentic Big Top experience to communities everywhere.
We’re more than an entertainment company. We’re ambassadors of multiculturalism, bringing together circus superstars from North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Every performance is a symbol of respect for all cultures and a showcase of performance art at its finest.
Bring the kids. Bring the grandparents. See the circus as a family.
A Legacy of Showmanship
The Great Benjamins Circus carries forward a legacy that stretches back over a century. The name honors Benjamin C. Davenport—one of the most colorful characters in American circus history.
In the fall of 1914, young Ben Davenport arrived in Delaware, Ohio, to study for the Methodist ministry. One semester was all he could take. He left school and joined out with a circus, launching a career that would span decades.
What followed was a quintessentially American story of hustle, reinvention, and showmanship. Ben worked his way through the circus world—driving trucks, performing in as many as 13 acts in a single day, working side shows, and partnering with other showmen across the country. He toured with the LeRoy Motorized Circus, the Seils-Sterling Circus, and traveled everywhere from the Pacific Northwest to small-town Ohio.
In 1935, with little more than two trucks, a side wall corral, and an air calliope, Ben launched the Davenport Society Circus. That scrappy show grew into the Dailey Bros. Circus—a large traveling railroad show that crisscrossed the nation.
Along the way, Ben met Eva Billings, daughter of Gay Billings who had operated “Gay’s One-Horse Circus” out of Quincy, Illinois. She became Mrs. Davenport and his partner in building the family circus tradition.
In 1993, Benjamin C. Davenport was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame, cementing his place in American entertainment history.
The Modern Circus
The circus has evolved. Today, the Great Benjamins Circus features exclusively human performers—world-class athletes and artists who push the boundaries of what the human body can achieve.
This evolution reflects a broader shift in how we think about entertainment. While circuses of the past featured animal acts as standard practice, we’ve embraced the change. As our Director of Operations Eva Rodriguez puts it: “Things change and that’s normal.”
What hasn’t changed is the magic. The gasps when an aerialist soars overhead. The laughter when the clowns take the ring. The wonder on a child’s face seeing their first live circus performance.
That’s what we preserve. That’s what we celebrate.
Welcome to the Great Benjamins Circus.