The Royal Canadian Circus usually plays in Metro Vancouver in May with acrobats, aerialists, motorcycle stunts and other great acts in Richmond and Surrey.
This year the circus was at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey from May 8th to 11th (which included the Mother’s Day weekend). It was also at Lansdowne Centre in Richmond between May 15th and the 19th (which included the Victoria Day Long weekend). It’s a terrific circus and highly recommended. In addition to its Metro Vancouver shows, the circus also played in Kelowna from May 1st to 4th.
Tickets are available for purchase on the royalcanadiancircus.ca website next time the circus is in town. (TIP: Use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when buying General Admission tickets online and you’ll get 2-for-1 pricing!)
In this article you’ll find information about the following topics:
About the Circus | Circus Video | Audience Comments | Dates & Locations | Surrey Shows | Richmond Shows | Ticket Prices | What to Expect | Circus Performers | Tips & Advice | Circus Video | Other Information
Click on any of the above links to jump to specific information, or continue reading to learn all about the circus.
Royal Canadian Circus in Surrey and Richmond in May
The Royal Canadian International Circus is a wonderful, family-oriented spectacle. Its shows are first class. The circus has been entertaining children and their families for over half a century. It’s really good entertainment, and very affordable. The show offers a modern, family-focused version of the traditional circus experience. It showcases an international collection of top-rate circus performers.
This year’s circus included performances by ringmaster and Wheel of Destiny daredevil Joseph Dominik Bauer. Other featured performers were the high-flying Ventura Trapeze Troupe, the Rola Bolas, and the incredible Mongolian Teeter Board Troupe. There was also wild Trampoline Tomfoolery, the TZ Aerialists, the Asian Skipping Rope Maze, juggling, comedy acts and more. A highlight of the show is also the extreme Motorcycles zooming around a steel globe at 85 kms.
The tours feature no exotic animals or endangered species. Since 2019 there have been no animals at all (except for the very occasional horse, pony or dog). The circus is a showcase of phenomenal, good-old-fashioned human talent.
See the Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
Circus Video
Check out the following promotional video from two years ago to get an idea of what to expect at the circus.
Audience Comments about the Circus
A few years ago Vancouver’s Best Places partnered with the Royal Canadian International Circus to send a group of children and their leaders from a local Boys & Girls Club to one of the shows in Tsawwassen. We got a thank-you card from the kids afterwards and here are some of their comments about what they saw:
- “I give it 2 thumbs up!”
- “So much talent!”
- “Everything was awesome!”
- “The Ringmaster … Wow!”
- “We had so much fun. Amazing!”
- “I loved the motorcycle. It was cool!”
- “So, so, so much fun!”
- “Best time ever!”
TIP: Use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when buying General Admission tickets online and you’ll get 2-for-1 pricing!
Circus Dates and Locations
In 2025 the circus had eight shows at Surrey’s Guildford Town Centre and played there from from May 8th to 11th. The circus was also in Richmond for another 11 shows at Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre and played there from May 15th to 19th, so around the May long weekend.
The shows takes place in a giant Big Top which holds up to 2,400 people. It’s a real circus tent.
Below were the dates, (tentative) times and locations of each Metro Vancouver show in 2025.
Surrey (at Guildford Town Centre)
The circus had shows on the Thursday to Sunday of May 8th to 11th at Guildford Town Centre. The venue’s address is 10355 – 152 Street in Surrey. Performances took place between once and three times each day.
- Thursday, May 8th, 2025 – at 7:00 pm
- Friday, May 9th, 2025 – at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
- Saturday, May 10th, 2025 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
- Sunday, May 11th, 2025 – at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm
Richmond (at Lansdowne Centre)
The circus had 11 performances on May 15th to May 19th at Lansdowne Centre at 5300 No. 3 Road in Richmond. Show times at Lansdowne Centre were the following:
- Thursday, May 15th, 2025 – at 7:00 pm
- Friday, May 16th, 2025 – at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
- Saturday, May 17th, 2025 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
- Sunday, May 18th, 2025 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
- Monday, May 19th, 2025 – at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm
See the official Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
Circus Ticket Prices
Tickets to see the Royal Canadian International Circus typically cost between around $40 and $60 per person.
Ticket prices listed below were for 2025 and subject to online service fees and taxes. Rates are the same for all ages. Children ages 3 and under, however, are free if they sit on an adult’s lap (and don’t occupy a seat of their own).
Seating at the Royal Canadian International Circus isn’t assigned; rather, it’s on a first-come, first-served basis. So if you want to sit closer to the front, get there early.
Three kinds of seating are available at the circus: General Admission, VIP and Ringside. See below for details about each.
Visit the Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
General Admission (in 2025)
General Admission tickets cost $39.50.
The General Admission tickets feature both bench and chair seating.
TIP: If you use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when the circus visits again you can get 2-for-1 pricing on General Admission. This means your tickets will cost just $19.75 each (plus taxes and online fees). Note that the promo code is only good for General Admission tickets, not for VIP or Ringside Seats.
VIP Tickets (in 2025)
VIP seats cost $45 per person.
The VIP area is closer to ringside than the General Admission areas. Promo codes cannot be used when purchasing VIP tickets. Also, as with all tickets, seating isn’t assigned, although VIP ticket holders are guaranteed a seat somewhere in the VIP area.
Ringside Seats (in 2025)
Ringside tickets cost $60.
The Ringside seats are right up close to the action. They are also the most comfortable seats in the house. As another bonus, VIP and Ringside ticket holders both get priority access to their respective seating areas inside the Big Top (i.e. before the crowds of General Admission ticket holders get to go in).
See the official Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
What to Expect
At the Royal Canadian International Circus expect to be thoroughly entertained.
Performances take place inside a giant Big Top tent and last for about two hours with an intermission in the middle.
During the show there are all kinds of acrobatics. Some are up high in the air overhead, while some are down low at centre stage.
The cast at the Royal Canadian International Circus is impressive. The show includes top performers from around the world.
TIP: Use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when buying General Admission tickets online and you’ll get 2-for-1 pricing!
2025 Circus Performers
This past year’s circus tour featured the following performers:
- Joseph Dominik Bauer – a Swiss ringmaster
- Claudia Alvarado – a flying trapeze artist from Mexico
- The Fantastic Venturas – a group of trapeze artists from Argentina and Chile
- TZ Troupe – a diverse team of aerialists and dancers
- Fernandez Globe of Death – a daredevil motorbike act from Mexico
- Alex Acero – a physical comedian from Brazil
- Giovanni – a juggler from Columbia
- Mongolian Teeterboard Team – a group of nine performers from Mongolia
- Team Morales – wheel performers from Peru
(Note: Not all of the above acts were at every show. Performers and details were also subject to change.)
See the official Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
Tips & Advice
Below is a list of tips and information to help you make the most of your circus experience.
TIP #1: Don’t forget that seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive early to get your choice of seats (and to make sure everyone in your group can sit together).
TIP #2: The viewing area usually opens for seating 30 minutes before each show.
TIP #3: General Admission seating includes both chairs and bench seating. Re-read TIP #1 and be sure to arrive early if you want a chair.
TIP #4: The benches in the General Admission area are not uncomfortable. If you need more comfort, take your own cushion or something soft to sit on.
TIP #5: If you want VIP or Ringside seats, don’t wait until the last minute to purchase your tickets. Those sections have limited seating and can sell out.
TIP #6: Outside food and beverages are not permitted. Beverages, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and other food items are available at the concession just before the show and at the intermission. Prices for most items have been about $5 or $6 in recent years. Souvenirs are also available for sale.
TIP #7: Assuming performances don’t sell out in advance, tickets can be purchased at the gate as well. However, in-person prices may be more expensive compared to online prices.
TIP #8: Wheelchair-accessible spots are available in the General Admission section. If you need this kind of seating be sure to arrive at least 45 minutes prior to your show and identify yourself to a staff member at the front entrance.
See the Royal Canadian International Circus website for full details.
Circus Videos
We’ve put together a couple of videos to give you an idea of what to expect at the Royal Canadian International Circus. The first video shows some of the acts from 2023. The other video shows scenes from a few years ago. As you’ll see, the acts are amazing and the experience is a lot of fun. Kids love it.
2023 Circus Video
The following video shows a few of the acts from the circus in 2023. They include Joseph Dominik Bauer from Switzerland on the Wheel of Destiny, Claudia Alvarado Bauer and the TZ Aerialists, one of the African Bone Breakers (from America’s Got Talent 2020), and juggler Nilson Escobar from Peru.
2019 Circus Video
This next video shows scenes of the Royal Canadian International Circus when it was in Tsawwassen in 2019. Performers in the video include the amazing Joseph Dominik Bauer (on the Wheel of Destiny), the Flying Cortes Family (doing their trapeze tricks) and the Extreme Chinese Acrobats (spinning their Diablos and then riding the unicycle on the slack wire).
Also featured in the video are George Aristov (spinning the Cube Maze), the Dominguez Russian Motoswing Team (sending one of their members flying into the air), Igor and Katiana (with their juggling) and the Mexican Dominguez Family (racing their motorbikes around in the metal globe).
Other Information
Click Royal Canadian International Circus to buy tickets or to learn more about the show.
Other possible topics of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s May Calendar of Events
- Lower Mainland Events on Mother’s Day
- Vancouver on the Victoria Day Long Weekend
- Best Places for Children
- CircusWest Circus School and Shows
- Best Places on a Rainy Day
- Festivals & Events Calendar
- Shows & Entertainment Calendar
- Vancouver’s Top 100 Places
