Chamber thanks for circus

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photo by Kim Cameron Two-year old, Piper Vasquez explores the colorful balloon display at Thursday’s circus.
photo by Kim Cameron
Two-year old, Piper Vasquez explores the colorful balloon display at
Thursday’s circus.

Thank you to everybody that made the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus a fun, family event for the Kremmling Community. This professional and quality circus comes through Kremmling every other year, and we are very lucky to be part of their itinerary.

Not to sensationalize, but my feeling is that with the recent closure of the Ringling Brothers, & Barnum and Bailey circus, that it could be a matter of time before we see other circuses shutting down for good. PETA has rallied around the treatment of circus animals, especially the elephants, causing much uncertainty for our circus friends.

I know there was some confusion with the second circus that came into town before the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus. The other circus was not supported by the Kremmling Chamber and we appreciate your patience during that time.

Thank you to Ed Moyer with Grand County for getting us clearance from the FAA to raise the Big Top. A big thank you to Grand County and the Middle Park Fair and Rodeo grounds for allowing us to have the event on their property.

A special thanks to Caroline Smith and Pat Pryor for coordinating and making sure the property was ready for the circus. A big thank you to all of our local businesses that pre-purchased tickets, many of them donating the circus tickets back to the community: Colburn Veterinarian Clinic, Confluence Energy, Loose Horse Surveyor, Gore Range Artisans Group, K-Town Carquest and Auto Parts, Reeder Creek Ranch, Triple V Designs, Kremmling Apartments, Los Amigos, Melody Lodge Cabins, Re/Max Red, Last Time ‘Round Thrift Shop, West End Liquor, Ghostwood Interiors, Subway, Peak to Peak Land Survey, Omni Real Estate, Town & Country Insurance, Parts City Auto Parts, Jilly’s, Williams Fork Lodging, Complete Construction, Wolford Campground, and E. Molthen Builders.

Thanks also to our outlets that presold tickets, Jilly’s and the Kremmling Library.

Just an FYI, the Chamber makes 50% of pre-sold adult tickets (over 100) and 25% of kid tickets pre-sold versus at the door the chamber makes a 10% cut. Any monies that we make are rolled back into more events for the community so all pre-purchased tickets help a lot! This year the circus sold 580 circus tickets total, and in 2015 the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus sold 679 tickets. A big thank you to the businesses that hosted Skeeter the Clown, Red Mountain RV Park, Jilly’s, and Grand Mountain Bank.

A special thanks to our ticket takers, Tanya Bagley, Jessica Rose, Dave Skinner, and Kim Cameron.

I very much appreciate Andrea Buller for taking the reins and working both performances so I could enjoy a family reunion in Minnesota! We hope you all enjoyed the Circus and they should be back in two years!

Happy Trails, Shelly McManus Executive Director – KACOC