For more than twenty years, the family-owned Circus Vazquez, founded in Mexico City in 1969, and now in its fourth generation, has entertained audiences of all ages in NYC. The company’s signature blue-and-white climate-controlled big top is back at Citi Field in Queens through December 14, housing an all-new two-hour show of international circus stars, adorable animal acts, clowning, and live music from The Circus Vazquez Band, led by Ringmaster Memo Vazquez, with snacks, souvenirs, meet-and-greets, photo ops available before and after the performance and during intermission, so you can not only enjoy the fun and thrills while you’re there, but you can take your memories home with you and continue to delight in this affordably priced family-friendly treat.
The excitement begins with music, fog effects, colorful and rotating spotlights, and award-winning Russian clown Boris Nikishkin, who’s been performing since he was just four years old, walking around the ring, offering popcorn for sale at a laughably outrageous price, interacting with the crowd, and getting everyone in the different seating sections to cheer or clap at his command. After the funny and engaging warm-up, a video of the history of Circus Vazquez plays on a full-scale projection screen at the back of the ring, telling of the founding, evolution, decades of touring throughout Mexico and Central America, and then bringing their popular show to the US for the first time in 1993.
What follows are amazing feats of lively dance, breath-taking acrobatics on aerial ropes and hoops, and jaw-dropping juggling in dazzling costumes, interspersed with silly clowning, audience participation, and a live-feed kiss cam, and incredibly well-trained pooches and pigs (yes, performing pigs!) that will make you smile and steal your heart. From the masterful plate-spinning and elegant tight-rope walking of Valentina Vazquez and the extraordinary strength and precision in the jumps, flips, handstands, and human pyramids of The Guinea Troupe to the death-defying flying trapeze act of Chilean legends The Flying Caceres, created by George Caceres and featuring Paloma Torres and her astonishing triple somersault from high in the air, the show will keep you holding your breath, rooting for the daredevils to make their perfect landings, and screaming with joy when they do.
Along with the perilous human acts are irresistible animals whose playful stunts are filled with personality and charm. The Pork Chop Revue, under the direction of Les Kimes, stars Oink, who sings a duet with his barnyard-style trainer on “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (you can guess which lyrics the hog provided), and has the lovable pigs jumping over hurdles and pushing a baby carriage with a piglet inside. The Cartoon Poodles, led by Rafael and Isabel Abuhadba, enter the ring dressed to the nines in a cartoon version of a NYC taxi and do everything from walking on their hind legs, riding a scooter, and sliding down a slide to dancing in a conga line. And Emiliano Vazquez and his talented dog Canelo perform tricks with a unicycle, including juggling hoops and jumping through them, and jumping rope in unison.
Throughout the show are appearances by Nikishkin, who does comedy routines with a teeterboard, a bucket of water and a wet tarp, and beatboxing and breakdancing with random members of the audience, which will have you laughing out loud between the gasp-inducing segments of derring-do.
For an incredible time that is guaranteed to delight adults and kids alike, be sure to catch Circus Vazquez under the big top at Citi Field; as advertised, you can “Expect nothing but ‘wow’ moments.”
Running Time: Approximately one hour and 50 minutes, including an intermission.
Circus Vazquez plays through Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Citi Field, 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, Queens, NYC. For tickets (priced at $17.16-73.68, including fees; admission for children under the age of two is free), go online.
