Circus tradition continues for 60th year
Published 12:20 pm Sunday, April 26, 2026
It was truly a hands-on experience for smiling and laughing kids at the 60th annual Mercer Island Preschool Association (MIPA) Circus on April 25 at Islander Middle School.
Outside the school, youngsters and their families joined a long line of attendees eagerly waiting to engage in some fun times at the petting zoo. The fenced area featured goats, bunnies, chickens and a wallaby that hopped all around the zoo as kids tried to track it down and give it a pet.
Inside, tons of kids spent time in the Reptile Man section of the school by patting a turtle’s shell and unwinding a large python so that several youngsters could get their hands on it simultaneously. As parents snapped photos of their kids and the massive snake, they all looked on in amazement.
Along with those two highlights of the Circus, kids played endlessly on bouncy houses and slides; watched a magic show, the Mercer Island High School Sparkle Cheer team, Creation Dance members and more; received gifts from balloon artists; climbed upon fire trucks and tractors; and took part in games that were offered by local clubs and businesses.
Lincoln Coe, 9, said Circus is a fun event and he especially enjoyed romping in the bouncy houses and checking out the reptiles and balloon-making.
Parent Zach Koch attended his first Circus with his wife along with their daughter Aurelia, age 6 and a half.
“We just moved to the Island maybe like a year and a half ago, so whenever there’s a community event, it’s always great to come out and meet other parents and hang out,” he said. “When we learned that it was sort of this long-running tradition, we thought it’s always fun to be a part of those things. It was just special to come out and do the community thing, and it’s amazing it’s been going for so long.”
The Kochs watched some performances and Aurelia sprinted to the bouncy houses and played inside them alongside the other kids. Next up was some cotton candy and the petting zoo for Aurelia.
MIPA members Helen Weyant, Julie Day and Alex Sage all chaired this year’s Circus.
“I think it’s amazing. It’s an island, you know, it’s an institution. Circus comes every year, everybody looks forward to it,” Weyant said. “I think it’s nice because it brings the entire community together and it’s just fun.”
Weyant said they usually sell about 500 tickets to Circus each year and welcome in about 1,000 attendees since parents don’t pay. Money generated from Circus pays for the event itself, and the rest of the funds go toward MIPA and into the community for play dates and to the parks.
Day, who was in the process of tracking down the Reptile Man for his presentation, also used the word “amazing” when describing the Circus atmosphere — from community attendees to volunteers who help keep things running throughout the four-hour event.
“It’s a longstanding Island tradition to volunteer for Circus and it’s a beautiful thing to see come together,” Day said.
