World Circus Day is Saturday, April 17 and the lunch crowd at Steve's Hot Dogs in South St. Louis will be treated to some flipping, tumbling and juggling.
"We need a little joy," says Circus Harmony's Jessica Hentoff. "It's been a tough year."
Aside from live performances throughout the day, Steve's Hot Dogs will donate a portion of all the proceeds from the day to Circus Harmony, St. Louis' only social circus school and the home of the St. Louis Arches acrobatic team.
Steve's Hot Dogs' founder, Steve Ewing, announced early last year that he was going to close his one remaining location, but fans and friends rallied with lines out the door. New partners stepped up to keep Steve's open. Then, the pandemic hit. They moved to curbside service and teamed up with numerous restaurants and organizations.
For Circus Harmony, the weekends of multiple performances in the City Museum circus ring and around the community, as well as classes and camps, all came to a halt. The St. Louis Arches did some outdoor, socially-distanced shows and classes moved online.
