After receiving a second mailer from the Big Apple Circus (offering tickets at a mere $15 per person) I decided to make it a family event. This was our first ever Big Apple experience and frankly after years of the Ringling Brothers at Phillip's Arena I was a trifle concerned that the intimate tent set up at Stone Mountain might not cut it. How refreshing to be so very wrong.

The venue is small (I'd guess it seats 500 people?) which means that everyone has a bird's eye view of the action (and it's likely that you might even be invited into the ring to participate). We were so close to the trapeze artists I could see plumes of chalk dust coming off their hands as they glided across the tent. The Big Apple was the whole package: clowns, horses, tighrope walkers, jugglers, even a fabulous dog show featuring animals rescued from the pound (my son was certain he saw smiles on those dog's faces). It felt more like a family party than a gargantuan production and the kicker?  It's a non-profit organization devoted to community outreach such as bringing in clowns to hospitalized children.   You'll have a fabulous outing with your family for under $100 (easily) while donating to the greater good...sounds like a perfect evening. Take note, they change the circus every year to bring in new and different acts...it will be an annual event in our household from now on.