Cirque du Soleil Shows Begin Thursday

Cirque du Soleil's iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top has risen near McLean, at Tysons II, and shows begin Thursday.

The Big Top is certainly a sight to behold, standing at 62 feet high and stretching 168 feet in diameter. it is supported by four masts that are 85 feet tall and it can seat 2,600 people. About 50 people are needed to raise it, using 1,200 stakes to hold the tent in place. The site takes six days to set up and two days to dismantle.

Cirque du Soleil is touring the country with its latest Big Top production, "Kurios -- Cabinet of Curiosities." The production travels in 65 trailers that carry about 2,000 tons of equipment.

The D.C. show opens Thursday. Once the show concludes here, it will head to New York for a Sept. 29 opening.

The Kurios show first premiered in Montreal in April 2014. The show examines a late-19th century inventor who creates a machine that defies laws of time and space. The show explores steampunk elements and introduces characters from other dimensions, showcasing the power of human imagination.

Tickets are available here.

Watch a preview here, courtesy of Cirque du Soleil:

Image via Cirque du Soleil