The Kootenay Circus Arts Festival is returning to Nelson for its second year. Organizers say close to 100 circus performers and 23 instructors will be involved. Participants will be travelling from across Canada, the U.S. and Spain.

One such participant is Nico, a trapeze artist from Barcelona whose stage name is NiCirco. He says bringing circus performance to smaller communities is important to the craft.

“I think bringing circus, for people to get to know circus, it’s not something that everybody knows, so making this possible — for people to get to know circus — is like making people fall in love with circus as well. It can make people want to become circus artists as well, and it makes circus visible. It helps our community grow. So I think it’s amazing to bring this to small places as well, so it’s not so concentrated in big cities.”

NiCirco says circus performance can value presence over perfection.

“Sometimes performing circus is not about giving your all, but also about being present and enjoying the moment.”

Festival sessions include activities for a range of skill levels. Session costs range from $10 to $60. They include beginner skills workshops and professional development for performers.

While this circus festival is still very new, circus in Nelson is anything but. Archived editions of the Nelson Daily News describe trapeze artists, vaudeville acts and exotic animals rolling through town in train cars as early as 1926. The Flying Valentinos, a then-famous acrobatic quartet, were remembered for thrilling and sometimes comedic stunts.

Organizer Jake The Lady says the circus brings something different to the local arts scene.

“Circus has this beautiful multi-disciplinary element. It’s not just one thing — it’s a mix of art and sport and theatre and dance and creative development … I think, when we become adults, we forget how to play. And circus just brings this beautiful playfulness to everybody’s lives.”

Program Director Mackenzie Savill says accessibility and inclusion were a major focus this year. The three-day long festival offers workshops for everyone from beginners to advanced performers.

“Inclusivity to us is really all-encompassing. It’s creating a safe space for anybody to show up wherever, however … I think especially with circus, there’s a lot of versatility … different apparatuses, different ways to approach it, creative outlets that aren’t necessarily physical that can go under the umbrella of circus. We’re really trying to provide something for everybody.”

The multi-venue Kootenay Circus Arts Festival runs from May 1 to 3 in Nelson.