ESCONDIDO — The big top tent is back at North County Mall as Circus Vargas returns for its 2025 season, bringing a dazzling tribute to Hollywood’s Golden Age with a brand-new production, “Hollywood Dreams.”
The family-friendly show, which runs from Feb. 7 to 24, features world-renowned aerialists, acrobats, comedians, and daredevils, all performing in an intimate, one-ring setting designed to evoke the glamour of Tinseltown’s red carpet.
According to the Circus Vargas website, the new production is considered its “best one yet.”
Circus Vargas was founded in 1969 by Clifford E. Vargas, who sought to revive the big-top circus experience he remembered from childhood. The circus has been a regular visitor to Escondido since before Vargas’ passing in 1989.
In 2010, the circus eliminated animal acts and has remained animal-free.
Returning this year as Ringmaster is Johnathan Lee Iverson, a professionally trained singer who, at 22 years old, became the youngest, first New Yorker, and first Black American to serve as ringmaster for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Following its Escondido stop, Circus Vargas will move on to:
- National City (Feb. 28 – March 10)
- Mission Valley (March 15 – April 7)
- Temecula (April 11 – 28)
Tickets range from $25 to $85 per person, depending on seating. Shows run daily except Tuesdays.
For tickets and more information, visit circusvargas.com.
