Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Ansar Shrine Circus is celebrating 78 years with its appearance at the Bank of Springfield Center here in our state’s capitol.

Rusty Petty, Jason Cutright, and Ansar Shrine’s Potente, Tony Moore, were all three guests on the recent WTAX Morning Newswatch. They covered a plethora of topics including the different age groups who attend, as well as how important it is to them to make the children happy and show them a great time.

“That’s one hundred percent why we do it, the end goal is always the kids” Stated Jason Cutright. “I think once you’ve become involved in this as much as Rusty and I have been it becomes a passion”

Rusty Petty spoke about the generational aspect of the circus, and stated that he himself has seen “Grandchildren with their Grandparents, whom of which went as children with their parents or grandparents, showing that the circus is a very generational thing and loads of fun for the whole family.” Petty and Cutright have both been working for the circus for multiple years. Which should say they have seen a lot of happy faces in kids and adults alike in those last few decades.

Tony Moore, The Potente for Ansar Shrine Circus, also explained why he wanted to get involved in the circus himself because of his son being Treated at a Shriners Hospital from age five to the age of 21, the son who now in fact has become a police officer and S.W.A.T. agent up north. This success in his son’s treatment made him want to give back what they gave him by becoming such a large contributor to the circus.