There’s a long running joke in the sideshow industry. “Safety Third”. Safety Third, because everything that we do in Sideshow carries with it a significant risk of bodily harm. Even the most basic sideshow skill can seriously maim a performer, and with some things that we do, the risk is much greater. Some stunts, that risk is death. Between an injury sword swallowing, and the performer’s death, is typically not much more than 10 minutes. So when we say “Safety Third”, we mea

**This blog entry was written while Tinderbox Circus Sideshow was neck deep in its Summer/Fall tour, and offers a glimpse into a day in the life of a traveling sideshow. Now that the off season is coming to a close, we thought it’d be fun to dig this up and finally share it.** Everything looks easier, and prettier, and a lot more fun, when you’re on the outside. Being a traveling performer is no different. As an audience member, you only ever see us at our best (mostly). You