Clown comes to town…

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTO

Lila Neal, left, and Gloria Borgman, right, were hanging around with “Skeeter” the clown last week as they promoted the upcoming Culpepper & Merriweather Circus on August 13 at the Ripley County Fairgrounds Park.

There was a little clowning around in Ripley County last week as “Skeeter” the circus clown came to town to promote the upcoming Culpepper & Merriweather Circus.

Skeeter, who is a celebrated and seasoned clown, brings the news of what a small town circus means, along with the news that the “Big Top” will be raised at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday morning where you can meet the circus crew and learn about the animals and the care they get. You can catch a sneak-peak of behind-the-scenes for the show that will be held at 2:00 p.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. at the Ripley County Fairgrounds Park in Osgood located at 525 W. Beech Street.

Having been educated at the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Clown College. Skeeter says there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes and one of her favorite things is the raising of the Big Top. “Kids today don’t really know what the Big Top is,” she laughed. “I’m here to educate them and promote some fun.”

She has nearly 40 years in as a clown and says the circus is living history. “We are celebrating the 229th birthday of the American Circus,” she noted in an interview with the Osgood Journal. Skeeter has seen it all and has been promoting the circus for many years. She has her BA in Broadcasting and worked with Warner Brothers ‘back in the day’.

While the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus does not have elephants that travel with them, they do have a variety of animals that are ready to thrill the crowd. Skeeter explained it as “tons of fun” when the big horses take center stage, along with a very rare Siberian Golden Tabby Tiger. There will be a Cockatoo presentation, single trapeze act, and so much more – including the clowns!

Get your tickets now by going online to cmcircus.com, Facebook: Culpepper & Merriweather Circus; Instagram: @cmcircus, E-mail cmcircus@gmail.com or call 580-326-8833. Or pick up your advanced tickets locally at Chozen Designs in Versailles, Daffodilly’s Flowers in Batesville or Civista bank locations in Osgood, and Milan, or the Napoleon State Bank in Napoleon. You can also get tickets at Jac-Cen-Del Elementary school.

For a FREE Family Pass, email or bring your name and phone number to: wburnett@ripleynews.com or stop in at the newspaper office at 115 S. Washington Street, Versailles, IN 47042 to put your name in a drawing. The deadline for the drawing is 8:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, August 10. This pass is compliments of Skeeter for two adults and four children. Along with the pass, Ripley Publishing Co., will be giving $25.00 for gas or snacks for the event! Get your name in the drawing now!

The circus is hosted by the Osgood Beautification Committee – Children’s Outreach Program.