Big Top Tent

Our Big Top Tent

As Magical As Our Show

The two new Big Tops, royal blue in the fall and winter, and white in the spring and summer, with glowing golden stars spiraling over the roof and sides, are made by Canobbio S.p.a. in Castelnuovo Scrivia, Italy. It towers at a height of 46 feet on the inside (to the cupola), 63 feet (to the top of the tent).

Diameter: 140 feet

Created with multi-layered PVC, the tents are totally opaque

Big Top made of four sections laced together and connected to the nearly-round cupola frame, plus one cupola cover. An innovative "hat" on the cupola can be raised to allow heated air to escape on warm days.

Sidewall made of 12 sections, totaling 440 feet in circumference measuring 16 feet high.

The tent has been equipped with a custom-built seating-system, delivered in 2006, that can accommodate more than 1,700 people. Each individually molded plastic seat is 18 inches wide and ringside and box seats are comfortably cushioned. Made by Italian designers Carlo Anceschi & Sons, the system presents the culmination of a half-century of innovation and development in touring circus seating, specially designed for quick assembly and disassembly.

Four masts that are raised with electric motors support the tent. Depending on the number of motors per mast (it can have one or two), a mast can weigh between 2,300 and 2,600 pounds. Masts are 50 feet long. The dodecagonal cupola frame, 50 feet across, folds for transportation in a unique way invented by Anceschi & Sons. It hangs from the masts, and weighs approximately two to three tons.

Masts and cupola were manufactured in Rio Saliceto, Italy. 98 side poles measuring 16 feet high support the periphery of the tent. Masts and tent are tied to a total of 194 stakes.

Tent Raising

See How it All Comes Together

You can see this all-important, but seldom seen part of the show yourself with our animated, time-lapse presentation of the Tent Raising! Our one-ring tent is supported by four telescopic masts, which are raised with electric motors and can be setup in 8 hours by a crew of 35 (this doesn't include installing seating, lighting, sound systems or even setting the ring!).