The History of Circus Tents
The large tent housing numerous rings and stages became known as the "The Big Top". This name stuck and became interchangeable with circus! In 1825, a circus entrepreneur, Joshuah Purdy Brown, became the first to use a large canvas tent instead of a permanent building. As traveling circuses expanded, tent sizes grew to accommodate more rings for different acts.
Custom-Built Circus Tents by Armbruster Tentmaker
They hired Armbruster Tentmaker to make its first “Big Top”. We take pride in that legacy. With a variety of colors and fabric weights, Armbruster Tentmaker custom builds each tent.
Features of Circus Tents
One of the largest traveling circuses was “The Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth” which toured from 1897 to 1902 around Europe. The Circus PoleTent is based off our original, 1875 PoleTent design with squared ends. Tops are offered in colors.
A circus is a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers performing in an arena-style setting.
Sizes range from 80′ x 120′ up to 154′ x 262′. Big top tents are like smaller commercial tents. They’re just bigger with seating for thousands.