Circus Vargas
Circus Vargas is an American circus based in California. It was built on the premise to bring an old time circus to everyone; currently it has been billed as one of the world's biggest traveling circuses still using a big top tent. Currently owned and operated by Tabares Entertainment, the circus currently produces a truck circus show throughout the western United States.
History
Clifford E. Vargas (1924-1989) founded Circus Vargas in 1969. Vargas was influenced to restart the Big top tent Circus from his childhood fascination with glamour and thrills of old circuses. He was a frequent spectator with Big top tent Circuses that visited his hometown of Livermore, California every year. Clifford was the son of Portuguese immigrants and grew up on a farm near Livermore. Vargas got a job in Chicago as the ticket seller, doorman and later ringmaster. Vargas saved in money from Circus and no Circus works. In 1972, Vargas purchased controlling interest in the Miller-Johnson Circus. The show was small to start, but grew, Circus Vargas at it's peak was using the largest circus tent size of a football field taking 30 men seven hour to riase. [1][2][3]
After the death of Clifford Vargas in 1989, the show management went to Jack Bailey, longtime Vice President of the company and Joseph Muscarello, the show's general manager. Bailey sold his interest to concession manager Roland Kaiser. Kaiser and Muscarello, both longtime friends of Vargas and management executives with the show, began managing the circus. Kaiser and Muscarello overcame problem like, rising costs and declining attendance. Kaiser and Muscarello changed the circus into a more intimate one-ring 'European style' circus. Kaiser and Muscarello continued running the circus until they retired in 2003. Circus Vargas then went on hiatus while looking for a buyer. Two years later the Tabares Family purchased and began running Circus Vargas. The “FLYING TABARES” of Argentina had been hired to work the Circus late 1980’s. Tabares Family started the Tabares Entertainment, Inc. that own and run Circus Vargas. [4]
Television and movie appearances
Note: this list is not exhaustive.
- Water for Elephants (2010)
- MTV "True Life" (2008)
- "La Feria de Los Ninos" (Univision)
- "The Nick Cannon Show" (2002)
- MTV "Dismissed" (2001)
- "Primera Edicion" (Univision)
- Kidsongs "A Day at the Circus" (1987)[5]
- Quantum Leap Leaping In Without a Net (1990)
References
- ↑ LA Times, Clifford E. Vargas, 64; Kept Circus Under Tent, September 06, 1989
- ↑ circusesandsideshows.com, Cliff Vargas, Dec. 7 1924 - Sept 4, 1989
- ↑ The Pioneer, Circus Vargas in California, by Gary Pilecki - Justin Pilecki, August 4, 2011
- ↑ Circus Vargas History
- ↑ "Kidsongs A Day at the Circus". Kidsongs. TAP. Event occurs at 21:36. ASIN B00006LPE2.