A much-loved part of Bridgeport's history is back in town this weekend

The circus is back, seven years after having supposedly delivered its final death-defying act. Historically Bridgeport was where the circus, including its animals, spent its winters - the season when it was not on tour.

Tom Krosnowski and Emily Knapton

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Mar 15, 2024, 4:29 PM

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Updated 188 days ago

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News 12 Connecticut's Tom Krosnowski was live from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

The new show boasts 75 performers from 18 countries. It features dazzling costumes, innovative sound and visual technology, and never-before-seen acts on highwire, trapeze, and bicycle.

Maria Pontigo and her husband Jonathan come from generations of circus performers. They're debuting an all-new triangular highwire act 25 feet high.

"It's going to be four performers doing amazing tricks on the highwire," says Maria Pontigo. "You have all the weight of your body just supported by the wire, which is not bigger than your thumb."

You can check them out through Sunday at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport and then again May 3-5 at the XL Center in Hartford. Tickets start at $35.