Morning Show
Searching For a Unique and Educational Field Trip Opportunity for Your Students?
Consider running away to the circus at the Gamma Phi Circus Morning Show at Illinois State University! We at Gamma Phi Circus at Illinois State University would like to cordially invite you to join us for the 30th Annual Gamma Phi Circus Morning Show on Friday, April 11, 2025 under the CEFCU Arena Big Top, in Normal, IL. Our morning show begins at 10:00 am and concludes by noon.
Oldest Collegiate Circus in the Nation!
In 2025, Gamma Phi Circus will celebrate our 96th year as an organization at Illinois State University. We are the oldest and longest running collegiate circus in the United States, carrying forward a long-held tradition of circus in Bloomington-Normal and the Midwest. The members of Gamma Phi Circus are students, faculty, and staff of Illinois State University. Members are representatives of all colleges and a variety of majors. Between multiple practices a week and exhibitions, members hone their skills in their respective acts throughout the academic year. The Morning Show demonstrates the collective hard work and achievements of the Gamma Phi Circus members and we invite you and your students to enjoy the show!
Registration for the 2025 Morning Show Is Open!
The Morning Show is a favorite field trip experience of many schools in the state of Illinois. It showcases the individual dedication and teamwork inherent in circus performance, with over 100 performers in more than a dozen acts including German Wheel, Trampoline Wall, Aerial Arts, Russian Swing, Tightwire, Juggling, Acrobatics, Clowning, and much, much more. Each year thousands of K-12 students join us for the fun, thrills, and excitement of a circus performance just for them. We hope your students can be a part of this year's Morning Show!
Registration Deadline
The 2025 Gamma Phi Circus Morning Show registration deadline is March 28, 2025. We will not accept registrations after this date. All mailed registrations need to be postmarked by March 28, 2025.
Cancellation Policy
If you need to cancel, we will accept cancellations up to February 21, 2025, and provide a full refund. No refunds will be provided after February 21, 2025.
Want to register for the show? It's easy!
To register for the Morning Show, either complete the registration process online here or download and print our 2025 Morning Show Registration Form to mail, scan/email, or fax. You will receive a confirmation immediately upon registration, along with additional information (parking, local eateries, concessions at show) for show day.
Important Information
Due to the increased number of attendees at our most recent Morning Show, we are making some improvements to make your experience even better! More information will be emailed to registrants after the registration deadline.
- Arrival Windows - Each school will be given an arrival window to help decrease congestion during drop off.
- Assigned Doors - Each school will be assigned a door to enter CEFCU Arena to allow more people to enter at the same time.
- Priority Seating - Registrants will now have the ability to select lower or upper bowl seating during registration. Once lower bowl is full, we will update our registration page so registrants know the general area they will be sitting. We will seat groups based on preference and registration date, so early registration is encouraged if you have seating preferences.
- Souvenir Programs & Activity Pages - At check-in, attendees will receive souvenir programs with activity pages (a $5 value!) for each student to keep as a souvenir!
For more information on the Gamma Phi, check out our about page and which circus acts we provide.
Thank you for considering Gamma Phi Circus for your school’s field trip opportunities.
See YOU at the CIRCUS!
If you require certain acommodations to fully participate, please contact ISU Conference Services by phone at (309) 438-2160 or by email at lmmork1@ilstu.edu. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accomodation.
Performance Information
Thank you for your interest in the 30th Annual morning performance of the Gamma Phi Circus. Our performers are enthusiastically looking forward to the show. Whether or not your group has been to a morning circus, the show will be unique, educational, and entertaining for all!
Doors will open at 9am on Friday, April 11, 2025. The performance begins prompty at 10am and will end by noon. Concessions will be open. Each group will receive souvenir programs & activity pages at check-in so students have something to do while waiting for the show to start.
Please be aware that in order to accomodate special needs and provide a great experience for all schools/groups, we have a few things we want to make sure you are aware of this year!
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Clear Bag Policy
To provide a safer environment and to expedite guest entry into the arena, Illinois State University has implemented a clear bag policy for all ticketed events at Redbird Arena. Guests are permitted to carry a small clutch purse (4.5"x6.5") and one large clear bag - either a one-gallon Ziploc-style bag or clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag (but not exceed 12" x 6" x 12"). Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after inspection. For more information, check our clear bag policy page. Exceptions will also be made for boxes and coolers containing sack lunches for Morning Show.
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Special Needs
In order to accomodate all special need requests, we may have to split up your school/group into separate seating areas. Example: you have 144 total registrations with your school, 2 of those need wheelchair accessible seats and 2 aides with them. We may need to seat the special requests in a different area than the rest of the other 140 registrants. Please make sure you are accounting for this when planning for student to sponsor ratio.
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Seating
Registrants will now have the ability to select lower or upper bowl seating during registration. Once lower bowl is full, we will update our registration page so registrants know the general area they will be sitting. We will seat groups based on preference and registration date, so early registration is encouraged if you have seating preferences.
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Bus Drivers
To maximize lower bowl seating for students, bus drivers will no longer be seated with the school they come with, but will have seating in a dedicated section. If you want them seated with your school/group, they will need to be registered as an adult ticket or as one of your chaperones.