Oktoberfest Under the Big Top: Bavarian Circus Makes U.S. Debut in Atlanta

Marvin Spindler was supposed to make his circus debut in the U.S. last week, but a Lufthansa Airlines strike left him and his crew stranded in Germany.

Such is the peril of putting on a family-run show in an unfamiliar city across the Atlantic, with props and materials arriving at various U.S. sea ports before eventually coming together at Stone Mountain Park, where Germany’s Great Bavarian Circus will finally make its U.S. debut March 21.

For Mr. Spindler, a clown in the show and a member of one of the oldest circus families in Germany, the hurdles are worth it to bring American audiences a taste of what’s being billed as “Oktoberfest under the big top” — fulfilling a long-held dream of his grandfather, Max Spindler.

“Now we are at work to make everything ready for the first show,” Mr. Spindler told Global Atlanta by phone. “It’s a long way to go, but we will do everything to be ready for the people of Atlanta.”

When guests arrive in the welcome tent Friday, they’ll be transported to the southern German state of Bavaria through music, clowns in lederhosen, and German delectables like bratwurst, pretzels and a selection of authentic beers, some from Germany and some brewed locally. Circus snacks like candy, popcorn and soft drinks will also be available.

Guests will then make their way toward the ring, where performers (most of them members of the Spindler family) will perform feats of juggling, animal acts and acrobatics on trapezes and trampolines, providing an old-fashioned experience that should induce nostalgia in those who have experienced a traditional circus.

“We have everything that a circus must have,” Mr. Spindler says.

Leigh Ketchum, who heads up Sarasota Box Office, the company handling the logistics, marketing and ticketing for the show, said the throwback feel of the event should be refreshing for screen-weary audiences.

“It’s a circus that doesn’t rely so heavy on technology, that really is founded in the simplest traditions in circus, which are human energy and human interaction between the performers and the audience,” he said. “It’s so personal and so memorable.”

Owen Leonard, also with Sarasota, said that while the circus is unmistakably German, nothing is lost in translation.

“Circus is a visual art form, and it’s about the movement of people. It’s not necessarily a vocal art form, and that’s one of the beauties of the circus — that it translates from Germany to here, or anywhere, because it’s based on humans doing great feats and interacting with the audience,” said Mr. Leonard.

Georgia, where the show will launch and visit two cities — Atlanta and Augusta — was selected partially because of its weather (it gets warmer here earlier) but also thanks to the large German diaspora, Mr. Leonard said. Stone Mountain Park, where the Atlanta launch will take place, was also a willing and helpful partner.

“We thought this was a great place to springboard in the American market,” he added, outlining plans to visit 18 American cities this year and next.

For Mr. Spindler, each stop is a chance to continue honing a craft he’s been perfecting since he saw his parents in clown garb at 3 or 4 years old.

“I thought — I also want to do this,” he said of his childhood self. “Every day, and in every city you learn something new because the feedback from the public teaches you something everywhere you go.”

Mr. Ketchum said the dedication to the craft is palpable among the circus performers, who all cross train in various disciplines. He compared them to athletes in terms of their eating and rehearsal regimens. That they are basically all extended family shows that for the Spindlers, circus is a way of life.

“It’s like the Von Trapp family times five,” he said, referencing the Austrian family of singers portrayed in the “The Sound of Music.”

Seventeen shows are planned March 21-31 in Atlanta, with three on each Saturday during the period.

Learn more and buy tickets here or visit www.bavariancircus.com. See photos and a press kit here.