Fern Street Circus is back in neighborhood parks this spring with Seeds of Joy / Semillas de Alegría, a brand-new bilingual production inspired by its community garden and the simple idea that joy grows when people care for things together.

San Diego’s beloved homegrown social circus will bring six free performances to Mid-City and South Bay neighborhoods as part of its annual Neighborhood Tour, continuing its more than 30-year tradition of accessible, community-centered arts programming.

A Circus Ring Transformed Into a Living Garden

Seeds of Joy turns the circus ring into a vibrant, living garden – a metaphor for community where every act becomes a small planting of hope. Each performance offers “seeds” of joy meant to be carried, nurtured, and shared long after the final bow.

The show brings together professional circus artists, musicians, and student performers from Fern Street Circus’s free after-school program, which has served Mid-City youth for decades. Through acrobatics, tightwire, contortion, juggling, puppetry, lollipop lyra, chair balancing, and more, the performance blends spectacle with heart.

Circus artist Cheryl Lindley, known as “Colombina,” serves as ringmaster, joined by Catalina Paz as “Abuelita” and Lucy Forton as “Grandpa Gerold,” the Garden Guardians guiding the story.

Live Music, Puppetry, and Community Connection

New to the Neighborhood Tour this year is a live musical performance by the Chunky Hustle Brass Band, appearing as whimsical “fungi” characters moving throughout the space. Their presence reflects the underground networks that connect communities and help them thrive.

Each tour stop also features pre-show concerts from CARPA San Diego and appearances by “Heartman,” the 10-foot puppet mascot that has become a Fern Street Circus favorite.

Before and during each performance, a free Community Health Resource Fair will offer health screenings, vaccinations, and services through Live Well San Diego – making the event as supportive as it is celebratory.

A Free, All-Ages Community Event

All performances are free and open to the public, with no tickets required. The tour moves to a new park each weekend, ensuring families across multiple neighborhoods can experience the magic close to home.

Presented by Fern Street Community Arts, the nonprofit behind San Diego’s original social circus, the Neighborhood Tour continues its mission of bringing high-quality circus arts to underserved communities at no cost.

See you there!

A free afternoon of circus, live music, puppetry, and community connection in your local park feels like the kind of joy we can all use right now.

📆 Saturday, April 25 – Sunday, May 17, 2026 | Shows at 2 PM
📍 Multiple parks across San Diego
🎟️ Free to attend
ℹ️ More info here

See you there, San Diego!