City Council Okays Big Apple Circus For Peabody

PEABODY, MA -- Peabody City Council unanimously approved a special permit application, clearing the way for the Big Apple Circus to set up its tent at the Northshore Mall from March 29 to May 12. While some residents voiced concerns about traffic at Thursday's meeting, officials said they have been working with the circus to minimize impact. Mayor Ted Bettencourt backed the push to bring the circus to Peabody, which was located in Somerville last year and on Boston's City Hall plaza for nearly three decades before that.

"I believe hosting the Big Apple Circus will be a big win for the City of Peabody," Bettencourt said last week. "I hope the Council votes to allow the Circus to come here this Spring. If all goes well, it could become an annual Peabody tradition."

Big Apple Circus has made annual stop in Massachusetts for most of the past 30 years. After several years at City Hall Plaza in Boston, the circus moved to Assembly Row in Somerville last year.

Big Apple did not come to Boston in 2017, when the company was in bankruptcy proceedings. The circus was saved by an investor group led by Dr. Neil Kahanovitz, who had been a performer in the circus while he was in medical school.

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Photo by Big Apple Circus.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).