After twelve years performing and teaching with the Belfast Community Circus School in Northern Ireland and five years running the Scarlet Sister Circus in California, 39‑year‑old Jennifer Dempsey moved to Salida to figure out what she wanted to do “when she grew up.” While pondering her next chapter, she invited local kids into her backyard to tumble, juggle, build pyramids, and walk on stilts.

The workshops grew quickly, and in March 2007, Salida Circus was born. Spring and summer camps followed, drawing youth from across Chaffee County. In August 2007, Salida Circus made its professional debut when Andrea Mossman, Destiny Meske, C.J. Meske, and Jennifer Dempsey performed The Pirates of Chaffee County at the Prowers County Fair in Lamar, Colorado—launching what would become two decades of professional performances, community outreach, and international circus exchanges. 

Professional artists from across the U.S. and around the world begin migrating to Chaffee County to join Salida Circus, including:

• “Magic” Steve Kucera (Las Vegas)
• The Flying Haggartys (Indiana)
• Connie “Paprika” Leaverton (Texas)
• Juliet “Madame Juju” Schaub (Florida)
• Kat Clapp (Pueblo)
• Joe & Joan Lobeck (Colorado Springs)
• Slovakian costume designer Krista Jarvis and her sons Roan and Ulysses
• Kurdish clown Rama Yigit
• Jirka, National Juggling Champion of the Czech Republic

International interns Antonella from Madrid,  Irenone from Cypress, Lena from Slovakia and Marko from Slovenia

Additional Colorado artists join the troupe, including Ed Alloy, Emily Barber, Cam Resch, Ben Dukeminier, Rubi Starr, Adrienne Young, Jesse Shavel, Mandy Hope, Sarah Green, Sierra Lamb, and Cassi Mason. 

Performance Growth

Throughout this decade, Salida Circus averaged 80 professional gigs per year, performing at fairs, festivals, corporate events, libraries, schools and private functions across the state, including at The Paramount Theater in Denver, Broadmoor Hall in Colorado Springs, Colorado State fair in Pueblo and the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins.

Accolades

Salida Circus earned numerous honors, including:

• Regional finalist — SBA InnovateHER Competition
• Business of the Month — Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce
• Only U.S. Social Circus inducted into Caravan, the European Social Circus Network
• 2019 Employee Choice Award — Cirque du Soleil

International Reach

• 2016: Salida Circus is invited to Amman, Jordan, to deliver performances and social circus workshops.
• Fourteen‑year‑old George Ellison tours with Circus Pimparello in Germany.
• Destiny Meseke joins Circus Fuskabo in Slovenia.
• Joe Lobeck travels to Turkey for outreach work with Sirkhan Youth Circus. 

Salida Circus headlines the Bethlehem International Performing Arts Festival (BIPAF) in Palestine and is invited back for the 2023 festival.

Laura Hart steps in as Director, bringing the Salida Cirque Haus to life and continuing Salida Circus’s international outreach in Ireland and Palestine.