Buckles Blog: 1962 Grotto Circus #5

Monday, February 15, 2010

Eric said...: I recall that, in 1962, they still had real sawdust on the arena floor. (The next year, they started using some green substance.) Prior to the show beginning, elephants were led around the arena wearing advertising banners. Although not listed in the program, Blinko and Maran did their pre-show Balloon-a-Rama turn. The performance got underway with the National Anthem. (When that occurred, the arena was in total darkness, and Izzy Cervone conducted the band using a flashlight.) During the Anthem, at the point when everyone was singing, “and the rockets red glare,” there was some sort of pyrotechnic display that shot fountains of white sparks up from around the outside of each of the three rings. Incidentally, as part of the opening parade, the band marched around the track. The march they played was “Men of Ohio” by Henry Fillmore.; 15 February, 2010 11:07

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