Four years. Three venues. One extraordinary mission — creating dreams, excellence, and international exposure for the world's finest circus artists.
March 25–26, 2025 · Circus Vazquez · Frisco, Texas
Edition
4th
Date
Mar 25–26
Artists
14
Jury
8
The fourth annual edition of American CircusFest returned to Frisco, Texas, under the Big Top canvas of Circus Vazquez at Rider's Field. Professional circus artists from around the world competed in two consecutive performances before a distinguished international panel of judges, vying for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards.
As a special added attraction, Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson — "America's Ringmaster" and two-decade ringmaster with The Greatest Show on Earth — served as The Voice of the festival.
"The festival has grown over the past three years and performances have become more competitive. It is really a one-of-a-kind circus competition in the United States featuring some of the world-best circus artists."
— Fanny Kerwich, Founder
International artists competing for Gold, Silver & Bronze
14 artists selected from international auditions
Eight distinguished international circus professionals
Regina Bouglione
France
Charlie Burrows
United Kingdom
Sarah Davison
France
Li Chi
China
Diane Arata
USA
Adans Peres
Spain
Sandor Donnert
Hungary
Maxim Nikulin
Russia
Moments from the 4th American CircusFest at Circus Vazquez
2024 · Circus Vazquez · Frisco, Texas
Edition
3rd
Venue
Circus Vazquez
Artists
16
Jury
8
The third edition of American CircusFest continued to grow the festival's reputation as the premier international circus competition in the United States. Held under the Circus Vazquez Big Top in Frisco, Texas, the 2024 competition brought together 16 world-class performers from across the globe competing before an internationally distinguished panel of judges.
The 2024 edition demonstrated the festival's expanding reach and rising prestige within the international circus community, attracting both emerging talents and established names seeking the highest level of professional recognition.
All 2024 photos © Christopher Baudo
International artists competing for Gold, Silver & Bronze · © Christopher Baudo
16 artists · © Christopher Baudo
Eight distinguished international circus professionals · © Christopher Baudo
Jury Member 1
Jury Member 2
Jury Member 3
Jury Member 4
Jury Member 5
Jury Member 6
Jury Member 7
Jury Member 8
Moments from the 3rd American CircusFest · © Christopher Baudo
April 1–2, 2023 · Circus Vazquez · Dallas, Texas
The second American CircusFest marked a historic milestone — for the first time in the United States, an international circus festival under a Big Top was presented in the European festival tradition. Mounted by Lone Star Circus in Dallas, Texas, the festival ran April 1–2, 2023.
Produced in partnership with Circus Vazquez — offering its state-of-the-art big top tent, the finest and largest travelling circus tent in the country — the 2023 edition brought together 13 artists from 6 countries: USA, Mexico, Argentina, France, Italy, and Ukraine.
The Professional Circus international award was held on April 2 in the classic style of European festivals, judged by an internationally distinguished panel of circus specialists.
"We realized the US deserves a circus festival in the class of such festivals existing in France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, and Monaco. We acknowledge that a circus tradition still exists worldwide, with acts not only produced in circus schools but also within centuries-old circus families."
— Fanny Kerwich, Founder & Artistic Director, Lone Star Circus
13
Artists
6
Countries
5
Jury
Ringmaster
Kevin Venardos
Moments from the 2nd American CircusFest in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas · Founded by Fanny Kerwich
American CircusFest was founded in 2022 by Fanny Kerwich — an eighth-generation circus performer of French descent, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Lone Star Circus in Dallas, Texas.
The inaugural edition launched in Dallas as a competition for emerging circus talents, inspired by the great European circus festival tradition — festivals like those in Monaco, Paris, Latina, and Barcelona. Kerwich envisioned a celebration of excellence that could give American and international artists the international exposure they deserve.
Since 2024, American CircusFest is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charity whose purpose is to create dreams, excellence, and international exposure for circuses and their artists.
Fanny Kerwich is an eighth-generation member of an old French circus family. In her former artistic career, she performed everywhere from the Parisian Moulin-Rouge to Feld Entertainment's Barnum's Kaleidoscope.
As founder of Lone Star Circus, a non-profit Dallas-based company, she has generated educational circus projects in the community and countless international, world-class circus productions over two decades.
April 22 & 23, 2026 · Circus Vargas Big Top · Temecula, California
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To every visitor, artist, and circus fan who made this edition unforgettable — thank you. More info on the next edition coming soon.
