Street theater & parade in the Netherlands, Belgium, France: summer in full swing for the circus parades and walk-acts of Circo di Strada - Family entertainment
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For the artists of Circo di Strada, 2026 has turned out to be one of the most special years since the company's founding. While the summer season is in full swing, the Dutch parade artists look back on an impressive first half of the year filled with international performances, major events, new collaborations, and an international award.
What began ten years ago as a creative initiative (and above all a wild idea) by Jori Veldhuizen and Vera Weber has since grown into an international parade company performing in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Since 2016, Circo di Strada has been traveling the world with various circus parades, street theater acts, and mobile performances. By now, the artists have been active in fourteen countries spread across three continents.
International start of the season - Parade, Roaming entertainment & Street theater - Award winning
The year started immediately on an international level. In February, Circo di Strada traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the prestigious LIV Golf Event. During this international sporting event, the performers of the Circolation parade provided roaming entertainment, including stilt walkers and the Acrowheel act. LIV Golf Riyadh is one of the largest international golf events in the Middle East and attracts visitors from all over the world.
Shortly thereafter, a new highlight followed in Macau, often described as the Las Vegas of China. During the Macao International Parade, Circo di Strada performed among 57 international groups and approximately 1,600 performers from various countries. There, the Dutch company was awarded the international Best Costume Award, a prize awarded by a professional jury. For Circo di Strada, this represented special recognition for the creativity, costume designs, and visual appeal of the Circolation parade.
Winner: Best Costume Award - Macau International Parade - Archive photo Intents Festival parade & mainstage show
10 years of Circo di Strada: Street theater, parade & walk-acts - Family entertainment
2026 is entirely dedicated to the tenth anniversary of Circo di Strada. The company is celebrating this special moment with extra performances, new projects, and various anniversary activities.
Over the past ten years, Circo di Strada has grown from a single parade into a complete range of various mobile acts and circus parades. Today, the repertoire includes Circolation, UniQcycle, Circo di Strada, Circo di Strada by Night, Cirque Masqué, and the Wonderful Winter Parade, among others. Each production has its own atmosphere, costume style, and artistic flair.
Furthermore, the anniversary year is being used to look ahead. Behind the scenes, the team is currently working on an entirely new circus parade that will be presented next year.
From street theater in city centers to grand parades and roaming entertainment
Circo di Strada has also been very active in the Netherlands over the past few months. During the opening of various fairs, the company provides spectacular opening shows where street theater, acrobatics, circus arts, and interaction come together.
In addition, various Circo di Strada acts could be seen as roaming entertainment in shopping centers. It is precisely this mobile form of entertainment that is an important part of the company.
Archief foto: Circo di Strada opent Kermis spectaculair met straatthater act
Great success in France and Belgium - Big parades, walk-acts & Street performances
In early April, another major spring event was on the schedule. On April 4, Circo di Strada by Night (the illuminated performance) performed in two shows at the large open-air theater of Alden Biesen in France. Both shows attracted approximately 2,500 visitors, bringing the evening's attendance to around 5,000 spectators.
The illuminated performance combines LED costumes, mobile acts, circus artistry, and music into a colorful evening spectacle. This production truly comes to life, especially in the dark.
The grand parade of Alden Biesen followed a day later. According to the organizers, tens of thousands of visitors lined the route, enjoying the international procession.
Archive photo: Circo di Strada performs at a major street theater festival in Croatia
During the Italian event Ciao Tongeren, the artists also ensured a striking presence in the streetscape. With colorful costumes, interactive acts, and mobile circus performances, they brought a combination of Italian atmosphere and modern parade art to the event, despite the rather damp weather. The Circo di Strada parade was deployed as one of the walk-acts (moving street theater) for family entertainment.
Precisely such cultural events form an important part of Circo di Strada's work. The productions are designed to be flexibly deployable during city festivals, cultural events, shopping centers, parades, and large public events.
First collaboration Circo di Strada circus parade with Studio 100
A special moment in the anniversary year was the first collaboration with Studio 100 during an event on Ascension Day. It was a very pleasant collaboration and a great step that offers new possibilities for future projects.
Photo: Circo di Strada together with Maya the Bee by Studio 100
50,000 visitors in Saint-Quentin - Defilé - Carnaval parade
Last Sunday, Circo di Strada was a guest at the grand parade in Saint-Quentin, France. According to the organizers, the event attracted approximately 50,000 visitors.
Parades like this form an important part of the company's international agenda. The combination of mobile performances, large crowds, and international participants aligns perfectly with the experience the group has built up over the past few years in countries including France, Belgium, Qatar, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Macau, Croatia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Circo di Strada's performances have frequently been guests at the grand carnival parade in Saint-Quentin. They previously shone with the performances: UniQcycle, Circolation, Cirque Masqué, and now for the second time with Circo di Strada.
Foto: Circusparade Cirque Masqué in Saint-Quentin parade
Summer agenda well-filled with street theater performances, music festivals, and large parades.
Circo di Strada's schedule remains packed for the coming months.
For instance, the artists will soon be performing at events in Deventer and at the Dag van Dilbeek in Belgium, where the unique bicycle parade act UniQcycle will be featured. In recent years, this mobile bicycle parade has grown into one of the company's most booked productions.
Additionally, Circo di Strada is returning to Toverland Theme Park with the illuminated evening act. Performances are also planned at various music festivals, city parades, and major events in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
With dozens of artists, multiple performances, and an ever-growing international agenda, the anniversary year seems far from over. While the audience enjoys colorful costumes, stilt walkers, acrobatics, and mobile performances, the team is already working behind the scenes on new creations.
For Circo di Strada, 2026 is therefore not only a year of looking back on ten successful years, but above all a year in which new chapters are being written in the world of international circus parades and street theater.
Photo: UniQcycle - The colorful bicycle parade - Acrobatics on unique bicycles
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