Circus Cape Cod Overview | Payomet Performing Arts Center

Cirque by the Sea

Cape Cod's home for circus all year long!

CIRCUS SHOWS

Bring the whole family to our mesmerizing and fun professional circus shows

CIRCUS CAMP

Exciting summer camp experiences led by our professional circus artists that inspire and lead with confidence

CIRCUS CLASSES

Our energizing classes are for all ages and experience levels from beginners to high flyers

CIRCUS IN SCHOOLS

Our Cirque troupe brings the magic of circus directly to Cape Cod schools

Experience jaw-dropping Circus Shows by our professional Cirque by the Sea troupe and hands-on Circus Classes and summer Circus Camp.

Our original circus shows tackle stories that matter with skill, spectacle, and heart. Add Circus Camp and classes, kids, teens and everyone is part of the magic.

Our circus isn’t just a spectacle.
It’s a tool for change, and everyone is invited in!

CIRCUS SHOWS!

Thrilling Original Circus Shows

Each summer, our professional circus artists write and produce an original show from scratch, building narratives around themes that matter — gender equality, climate change, ocean health, backyard pollinators — and delivering them with breathtaking skill and plenty of heart. The results are performances as meaningful as they are mesmerizing. This season, we’re bringing The City to Cape Cod in…

Summer in the City: the Circus that Never Sleeps
In a city of millions it’s every man, woman and rat out for themselves. Take a break from your relaxing beach vacation and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this colorful, fast-paced circus theater show celebrating the big city and all of its inhabitants. Featuring an ensemble cast of professional circus artists, including acrobats, aerialists and jugglers, this funny and heartfelt tale is bursting with big city energy. Thinking of missing it? Fuhgeddaboudit!

Back in the Saddle – Burlesque!

This ain’t just a western, it’s a burlesque, and by the end of it, honey, we’re all going to be Back in the Saddle. Expect whip cracks, gun spins, lasso tricks, and just enough clothes to call it art, all wrapped around a tale of love, lawlessness, and hot, sweaty labor. This adults-only show (18+) tours this August and September, with performances at the Payomet Tent at Highland Center in North Truro and Provincetown Town Hall.

CIRCUS CAMP

Summer Circus Camp For All Ages

Every summer, the fun begins under the big top. Circus Camp runs weekly for all experience levels, with professional artists leading campers through aerial arts, acrobatics, mini-trampoline, physical comedy, improv, and so much more. By the end of the week, campers aren’t just learning circus skills. They’re living it! Each session wraps with a showcase where family and friends get a front-row seat to what a week of circus can do.

CIRCUS CLASSES

Circus Fun All Year Long

Circus class is in session. All year long, Payomet Cirque by the Sea offers programming for all ages and skill levels, from drop-in juggling workshops to youth performance troupes and adult aerial classes. Wherever you are in your circus journey, there’s a place for you here.

Intro to Juggling / Juggle Jams
Youth Troupe – After School at Truro Central • Fall 2026
Adult Aerial – Open Level

Our year-round home base is located at our Big Top Circus Tent at the WHAT Theater in Wellfleet.

CIRCUS IN SCHOOLS

We Bring Circus Into Our Schools

The circus doesn’t stop when summer ends. During the school year, Payomet Cirque by the Sea brings the fun directly to local Cape Cod elementary schools through gym takeovers, after-school classes, and lively school-wide performances. No experience needed, just a willingness to try something fun.

Gym Class Takeovers are exactly what they sound like. Our professional circus instructors take over the gym and invite kids to explore, play, and discover what they’re capable of. It’s for everyone, and the energy is electric.

After School Circus Classes keep the momentum going with weekly sessions where students tumble, spin, and take flight. With instruction tailored to every level, from first-timers to seasoned movers, every student progresses at their own pace while building real strength, confidence, and skills that stick.