Home Rainy Day Activities Royal Canadian International Circus in Metro Vancouver in 2024

Royal Canadian International Circus in Metro Vancouver in 2024

April 5, 2023

The Royal Canadian Circus is in Metro Vancouver in May with acrobats, aerialists, motorcycle stunts and other great acts in Richmond and Surrey.

In 2024 the circus is at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey from May 2nd to 12th (which includes the Mother’s Day Weekend). It’s also at Lansdowne Centre in Richmond between May 16th and the 20th (which includes the Victoria Day Long Weekend). It’s a terrific circus and highly recommended!

(TIP: Use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when buying General Admission tickets online and you’ll get 2-for-1 pricing!)

Tickets are available for purchase on the royalcanadiancircus.ca website.

In this article you’ll find information about the following topics:

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 & 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 includes performances by ringmaster and Wheel of Destiny daredevil Joseph Dominik Bauer. Other featured performers include an amazing Mexican aerialist, a high wire act from Columbia, and a human cannonball from Mexico. There are also Globe of Death motorcycles, rollerblading stunts and other fabulous acts.

The tours feature no exotic animals or endangered species, which is great! 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! It’s amazing!

For tickets and full details, see the Royal Canadian International Circus website.

2024 Circus Video

To get an idea of what to expect at the circus, check out the following promotional video.

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 your tickets online and you’ll save 50% off General Admission!

Circus Dates & Locations

In 2024 the circus has 19 shows at Surrey’s Guildford Town Centre. The circus is also in Richmond for another 11 shows at Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre around the May Long Weekend. Dates for this year are May 2nd to 12th in Surrey and May 16th to 20th in Richmond. The shows takes place in a giant Big Top which holds up to 2,400 people! It’s a real circus tent!

Below are the dates, times and locations of each Metro Vancouver show in 2024.

Surrey (at Guildford Town Centre)

The circus has 19 shows on the Thursday to Sunday of May 2nd to 12th at Guildford Town Centre. That’s 10 more than they had there last year! The venue’s address is 10355 – 152 Street in Surrey. Performances take place between once and three times each day.

Thursday, May 2nd, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Friday, May 3rd, 2024 – at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 4th, 2024 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 5th, 2024 – at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Monday, May 6th, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Tuesday, May 7th, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Thursday, May 9th, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Friday, May 10th, 2024 – at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 11th, 2024 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 12th, 2024 – at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm

Richmond (at Lansdowne Centre)

The circus has 11 performances on May 18th to May 22nd at Lansdowne Centre at 5300 No. 3 Road in Richmond. Show times at Lansdowne Centre are the following:

Thursday, May 16th, 2024 – at 7:00 pm
Friday, May 17th, 2024 – at 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 18th, 2024 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, May 19th, 2024 – at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Monday, May 20th, 2024 – at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm

For tickets and full details about the shows, see the official Royal Canadian International Circus website.

Circus Ticket Prices

Tickets to see the Royal Canadian International Circus cost between around $17.50 and $60 per person (which is the same as they cost last year).

Ticket prices listed below are for 2024 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. Consequently, 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.

For tickets and full details, visit the Royal Canadian International Circus website.

Royal Canadian Circus — 2024 Circus Performers

General Admission (in 2024)

General Admission tickets cost $35.

The General Admission tickets feature both bench and chair seating.

TIP: If you use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when the circus you can get 2-for-1 pricing on General Admission. This means your tickets will cost just $17.50 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 2024)

VIP seats cost $40 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 2024)

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).

For tickets and full details, see the official Royal Canadian International Circus website.

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: Don’t forget to use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES when purchasing your tickets online. If you do that you’ll save 50% off General Admission!

Royal Canadian Family Circus — Ringmaster Joseph Dominik Bauer

2024 Circus Performers

The 2024 circus tour features the following performers:

Joseph Dominik Bauer – the Swiss ringmaster is a ninth generation circus performer. He has entertained around the globe with Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey and other internationally-acclaimed circus companies. His Wheel of Destiny daredevil routine is amazing!
Claudia Alvarado – a flying trapeze artist from Mexico who has performed across both North and South America.
Pacusito Videla – a fifth generation circus comedian and unicyclist from Argentina. He’s both talented and entertaining.
Leo Garcia the Human Cannonball – a sixth generation circus performer from Mexico. At the shows this year he shoots himself high in the air! It’s a sight to see!
Chu Chuan – Ho Diabolo – a diabolo juggling and spinning artist from Taiwan.
Zeman Duo – a pair of rollerblading and quick-change artists who appeared on America’s Got Talent in season 2016.
The Fantastic Four Guerrero Family – a high-wire, tight rope-walking family of circus artists from Columbia.
Bollywood Aerialists – a multinational team of aerialists perform in beautiful costumes high up in the Big Top.
TZ Troupe – a team of dancers provide a “Canadian Tribute” with their moves, music and choreography.
Fernandez Globe of Death – a daredevil act from Mexico, they ride motorcycles in a heavy steel cage and reach speeds of up to 80 kms per hour.

(Note: Not all of the above acts are at every show. Performers and other details are also subject to change.)

For tickets and full details, see the official Royal Canadian International Circus website.

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 (plus or minus). 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.

For tickets, see the Royal Canadian International Circus website.

Circus Videos

To give you an idea of what to expect at the Royal Canadian International Circus we’ve put together a couple of videos of the show. The first shows some of the acts from 2023. The other 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).