But when the final notes of the trumpeter’s song ring out, the room explodes with laughter and applause. The overhead lights return, the balloon swords are put aside and smiles spread across the painted faces of the most faithful. It’s time to kick off another showing of the Jaffa Shrine Circus, now in its 84th season.

Ringmaster Billy Martin leads the crowd like a conductor in his 21st anniversary appearance at the circus, which fills the Shrine Center stands with classes of kindergarten students, families and friends alike.

This year, the five days of performances are nearly sold out. During the weekdays, rows of school buses line up outside to fill the 3,800-seat venue.

Even though each showtime features the same lineup of performers, every circus is a fresh start.

Ringmaster Billy Martin converses with a talking pig during the 84th Jaffa Shrine Circus on Thursday. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“It always changes, but an element of it stays the same,” Martin said. “That’s the intriguing part that keeps people coming back.”

Every year, as the acts evolve, so does the circus itself.

Elephants and lions are replaced with horses and camels; oddity shows with glowing neon highwire acts. According to Martin, the same spirit of “good family fun” remains the same, year after year.

This year’s show features jugglers, acrobats and high-flying trapeze artists, who dance over the crowd in glittery catsuits, interspersed with appearances from the Hot Diggity Dogs, nationally renowned performer Bello Nock and the in-house Calliope Clown and Jovial Jobel Jokester clown troupes.

“Some of the acts are traditional circus, but with a modern flair to it,” Martin said.

The Hot Diggity Dogs perform their crowd-pleasing stunts at Thursday morning’s performance. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

This balance of old and new, familiar and experimental keeps the circus engaging, Martin said, which is the essence of “live entertainment.”

The multi-generational appeal of the circus is one of Martin’s favorite things, he said.

“Some of the jokes that the clowns do, that the grandparents laughed at are still the same (jokes) that the younger generation laugh at,” Martin said.

“I have the best job in the circus,” Martin added. “Every night is opening night.”

Caleb Asch, the “daring horseman,” shows off his equine abilities during his performance, deftly leaping across the backs of his three horses: Boaz, Cupola and Loki.

Special guest star Bello Nock takes to the ring at the Jaffa Shrine Circus. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“I started doing this act 23 years ago, I got taken in by a circus family and I learned their act,” Asch said.

Since his horses are an integral part of Asch’s act, maintaining his trusting relationship with them is crucial.

“We have to keep them comfortable, we provide the best conditions possible for them,” Asch said. “The horses are my partners.”

Their bond is key to the success, or failure, of a night’s performance.

“Like us, they have their good days and bad days, sometimes we wake up and go ‘I don’t want to work today,’ and the horses are the same,” Asch said.

Zachary Kinert, a first grade student at Southside Elementary School, Huntingdon, plays with an electronic toy purchased at the Jaffa Shrine Circus on Thursday morning. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Just as the mood of the horses drive Asch’s act, the interplay with the crowd fuels Martin’s dynamic role as ringmaster.

“Every audience is different,” Martin said. “The secret is we know what’s coming, and it builds up, and when they see it, and it all comes together, it’s like nothing else.”

Pleasant Valley Elementary teacher Kyleigh Davis brought her whole class of kindergartners to catch the Friday morning show.

“We’re just tying into the community because we’re from Altoona,” Davis said.

According to Davis, finding kid-friendly options for field trips in the area is difficult, but the circus has been a reliable choice.

“This is one of the better options we had, we haven’t done it since before COVID-19, so this is our first time back in a couple years,” Davis said. “I think it’s a better atmosphere now more than anything.”

According to Davis, the Jaffa circus is more engaging than in previous years, with her students able to take a camel ride, hangout with the Calliope Clowns or check out the face-painting station during intermission.

The Hot Diggity Dogs and Asch’s horsemanship show were some of her kids’ favorite acts, Davis said, but she had been too occupied chaperoning the group to watch herself.

Every section of the arena was color-coded by groups of giggling children, all decked out in matching school T-shirts.

According to Myers Elementary third grade teacher Erin Kelly, Bellwood-Antis has been attending the Jaffa circus for more than 20 years.

“Our third graders come every year, of course not during COVID-19, but we’ve been here every year since,” Kelly said.

Her students always enjoy their field trips to the circus, she said.

“It’s their absolute favorite. We used to do three different field trips for every grade level, but now we do one, and this is the one they always want,” Kelly said. “It’s just a wonderful experience for them.”

Over her career as a teacher, Kelly said she has experienced the growth of the circus.

“I remember when they started bringing the motorcycles and the bikes, that was really big for the kids, so different things have changed over the years and they love it,” Kelly said.

Amanda and Jim Foor brought their daughters, Isabella and Sofeeya, to the circus.

“I’ve been coming all my life,” Amanda Foor said. As Altoona natives, Foor said she and her husband had been coming to the circus since they were children.

“It’s just sentimental — a family tradition,” she said.

Ralph Rhule brought two of his grandchildren to the circus.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, so that’s been 50 years,” Rhule said. “I do it every year for the kids.”

The circus runs through Sunday, April 14, with performances at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 13, and 1 p.m. April 14.

Children’s tickets begin at $14, with adult tickets starting at $18.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.