It's that time of year again, time to get ready for a day of thrills for children of all ages, yes this means you, as the Araba Shriners Circus returns to the Lee Civic Center on Friday, March 23 for three shows at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. 

Araba Circus is always a fun time, well known for its acrobats, funny clowns and talented jugglers and other traditional acts sure to keep everyone on the edge of their seats, you are sure to have a great time.... and the kids will love it too, actually, it's all about the kids, seeing the smiles and laughter in the children is the real joy of a circus. There is great cooperation from the schools to coordinate getting the kids there and also in choosing the date selected by Araba for the circus to ensure a successful circus.

The 11a.m. show is free to children from the schools and organizations within the five counties served by the Shriners, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades.

Last year more than 3,000 children enjoyed the circus, with the hope of a better turnout this year.

The Shrine Circus, founded in 1906 has been coming to Fort Myers for the last 20 years and travels to roughly 120 cities per year in the United States and about 40 in Canada.

Money raised from the circus is used by the local Shrine Center to fund Shrine activities and administrative costs, and is their number 1 fund raiser of the year, which in turn allows them to serve their big project, the 22 Shriners Hospitals for Children, 20 nationwide, one in Canada and one in Mexico.

The nearest Children's Hospital is in Tampa.

There are several hospital funds, such as transportation fund which pays for the transportation of children to the various hospitals around the country. Araba also has four wheelchair vans that we use to transport children to Tampa.

The various hospitals treat children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, and our Tampa hospital has recently added a Concussion Unit. All children are eligible for care and receive all services, regardless of the patients' ability to pay.

General Circus admission is $15, with children five and under admitted for free. Ringside seats are an additional $10 paid for when you get ringside.

Circus Hollywood out of Bradenton will once again provide the entertainment as well as the kid's petting zoo which will be available before and after each performance.

Come out to the support your local Shrine Center.

If you would like to sponsor/purchase tickets for some children, thus allowing more children to attend, please contact Araba Office at 239-334-2226