PORTLAND -- More than 40 horses, acrobats and dancers from around the world will be performing in a unique circus in the Pearl District soon and the construction of the tent is already arousing quite a bit of attention.
Area residents have been watching crews set up and practice in the otherwise quiet community. And right in the Pearl, around NW 13th and Quimby, curious people have been stopping to see what’s going on.
“This is the first time I actually came out and got close to it to see what’s going on,” Cathrine Miller, an artist who lives and works in the Pearl said.
Early Learners Academy is located just across the street from the construction project. Students and teachers have been watching the action going on right outside their window hour by hour.
“Our little ones absolutely love it, to see that 'Bob the Builder' is live in their backyard,” teacher Bree Taggart said.
Even bulldozers have been used in the construction of the huge circus tent.
“We notice this wonderful thing happening in front of our building,” teacher Barbara Rhiger added.
Rhiger is a Head Start teacher. She said her students have been so excited, that she decided to turn the ongoing construction project into a school lesson. They even took photos of the site's progress and built a replica in the form of a sandbox.
“I decided we got to get those Tonka toys and put them on the sand table,” Rhiger said.
“I think this is just fascinating, I’ve never been able to see a circus come together from the ground up,” office manager Cheryl James said.
The show, called Cavalia, will run from November 16th through December.
“This is the largest touring tent in the world,” Normand Latourelle, creator of Cavalia pointed out.
Then, in three weeks, the acrobats, dancers and more than 40 horses from around the world will pack the tent back up and leave.
“How often do you get a circus in your backyard you know, how exciting is that,” Scott Lupatsky, a Pearl resident said.
“I think it’s going to be a little disruptive, but anytime something like this comes to Portland it’s going to be a big draw to the businesses,” added Miller.
