On a sunny Saturday afternoon in Nederland children and children-at-heart, gathered in Chipeta Park where clowns were painting faces, stilt walkers were giving very-high-fives, and fairies were performing magic tricks. A Big Top tent was raised, attracting folks over to the festivities, to the first ever Carousel of Happiness Summer Circus.

From noon to 9 p.m. the circus entertained people of all ages, providing various carnival games, like the classic Ring Toss, in the field around the basketball court, where young challengers can win handfuls of candy. A magician wowed participants with mystifying sleight-of-hand tricks, and a friendly clown offered amazingly intricate and colorful facepainting.

Within the central pavilion volunteers from Sweet Sue’s helped run the concession stand, which served classic circus treats like popcorn, hot dogs, beer, and cotton candy. On the main field in Chipeta Park, attendees could purchase colorful streamers and other toys, while performance artists welcomed and entertained those making their way over to the Big Top.

Within the main tent tables were set up to display the items available for the Silent Auction, including gift baskets blooming with gifts from the Carousel of Happiness, SKRATCH Labs, Busey Brews, Sweet Sue’s, and others. Beautiful framed art by local artists was also auctioned off, as well as a special invitation for four to a golf session at the private Fox Hill Club.

In the afternoon, contemporary circus performers Circus Foundry, an enthusiastic enclave of performance artists trained in music, dance, humor, and athleticism, put on a high-energy show full of swinging stunts, clownish buffoonery, and full-body charades, themed around the concept of “Play.”

Later in the evening the Circus Foundry players, Bryan Connolly, Anthony Cummings, Bethel Lindsley, Jamie Rifkin, Ryan Salerno, Staza Stone, Sara VonGillern, and Jonas Whalen, performed a show for adult attendees of the circus, titled “Work,” which circus-ified the concept of breaking out of the confines of the daily career grind.

During the intermission a live auction was held under the Big Top, where such prizes as a custom “FUNfetti” cake from Sweet Sue’s, an adult-sized unicycle, and a framed photograph of James Peak by Nathan Eigenfeld were auctioned off. Luxury vacation packages ranging from a trip for two to Amalfi, Italy, and trips for four to Bordeaux, France, and to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, were also awarded to those who participated in the silent auction.

The first Carousel of Happiness Summer Circus was an event run by volunteers and sponsored by Boulder County Kids, Citywide Bank, Distinct Real Estate LLC, and The Mountain-Ear. Most of the prizes in both auctions were provided by local businesses or commissioned by local artists, with the proceeds going to the continued operation and maintenance of The Carousel of Happiness.

A special thanks to all who made the circus such a success, and here’s hoping for this to become a new annual event for the town of Nederland.