Chicago parks come alive as Midnight Circus blends spectacle with giving back

When founders Jeff Jenkins and Julie Greenbergfirst rallied their Midnight Circus family to save a playground at Welles Park in 2007, they staged a pair of open-air performances over one weekend to raise funds. What started as a grassroots neighborhood effort grew into a citywide tradition, eventually adding the Little Big Top in 2011 to expand capacity and keep the show running rain or shine

The first Midnight Circus was two open-air shows over a weekend, with the community goal of rebuilding a beloved playlot. The fundraiser succeeded, and the local event became an annual and ambitious event.

The purple and blue tent, Little Big Top, has become an icon of the show since 2011. The addition expanded fundraising efforts, boosted community engagement, and helped formalize the annual citywide tour.

In 2014, the circus later crossed borders and became the first American circus ever invited to Montréal’s prestigious Complètement Cirque festival. The event earned it international acclaim among 400 circuses and 185,000 festival-goers.

Midnight Circus carries that international reputation into every neighborhood it visits. The troupe is dedicated to making live performance accessible to all, featuring top-tier talent in its shows. Audiences can expect everything from former Cirque du Soleil artists to jugglers, tightrope walkers, contortionists, and high-flying aerial acts.

Shows have included stacked-chair handstands, glitter-bursting balloons, and daring tightwire feats. Many performances havechoreographed finales where children are invited into the ring for high-fives and spontaneous participation.

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Rickie and Bobbie, rescued bully breed dogs, join the cast as trained animal ambassadors. The pups perform in the ring and visit schools, camps, and youth facilities through the Canine Kindness Corps, a Lola Foundation program promoting animal activism and community kindness.

The circus has grown into a force for neighborhood investment. Through partnerships with park advisory councils and volunteers, it has reinvested nearly $2 million across communities citywide for playground repairs, beautification, and after-school programming.

“Midnight Circus in the Parks does not just put up the tent, collect ticket fees, and move on. They work with local community groups… to improve the park and surrounding neighborhood,” statedPatrick Brosnan of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.  

This year, Midnight Circus is adding a special fundraising gala during its Welles Park weekend. Guests can mingle with performers, enjoy exclusive seating, and bid on one-of-a-kind circus experiences all in support of local park improvements.

In addition, the troupe will host a private performance for children and families connected to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The event will give kids in foster care a joyful afternoon under the Little Big Top. These special performances are provided free as part of Midnight Circus’s ongoing outreach and community engagement efforts in partnership with DCFS.

Both events underscore the organization’s mission to entertain, but also to create lasting moments of connection and community impact. They highlight what has defined Midnight Circus from the start: a blend of world-class performance and grassroots community spirit.

The Midnight Circus was born out of neighborhood activism, an eclectic cast of  performers, and a commitment to giving back. It’s more than entertainment. It’s acelebration of community resilience, creative artistry, and inclusive joy.

For more information on performance times, locations, and tickets, visit Midnight Circus In the Park.