2023 American Youth Circus Festival
August 24-27, 2023
Seattle, WA
Hosted by SANCA

We are so excited for our first in-person national youth circus festival since before the pandemic! Four days packed with circus workshops, activities, and community showcases, bringing together circus youth from all over the country.

Registration

Space is limited – no earlybird rate! First come, first served until we reach capacity for the event.

Registrants MUST BE CURRENT AYCO/ACE members! Youth membership is $35.

Tickets are on a sliding scale – choose the price that suits your situation:

Youth ticket, Reduced rate – $265 (for those who would otherwise not be able to attend at full cost)

Youth ticket, Regular rate – $315 (full value ticket)

Youth ticket, Donation rate – $365 (help make it possible for to others attend at the reduced rate!)

Minimum age is 6yrs old (historically, most youth attendees have been 10-14 years old).

Adult workshop leader rate – $60. Please do not register until you have been accepted as a workshop leader!

Chaperone: $130
Every youth under 18 must have an on-site adult chaperone. Chaperones can be responsible for more than one youth, and groups are encouraged to have a workshop leader be the group’s chaperone. There is no adult participant ticket this year. Because of limited space, there will not be much room for one-on-one chaperones. Chaperone tickets include festival meals, showcase admission, and transportation from SANCA to the showcase venue and back.

Refund policy: Refunds are available for any reason up to 1 month before the events (written request to info@americanyouthcircus.org by July 24th at 11.59pm Pacific Time) minus a 10% admin fee.

Waiver

All attendees, workshop leaders, and chaperones must sign the event waiver!

Schedule

Accommodations

Housing accommodations are not a part of your festival ticket. We have two recommended options:

Georgetown Inn

This small hotel is walking distance to SANCA. We have arranged a group discount for a limited number of rooms. When you call to make your reservation, you must say you are with SANCA in order to receive the discount! There are rooms available with one queen-sized bed ($174/night) or with two queen-sized beds ($204/night). Breakfast is included. To book, call (206) 762-2233. (Please note that a late cancellation fee for cancellation after August 10th will be charged).

Seattle University Dorms

There will also be rooms available at the Seattle University dorms reserved for AYCOfest attendees. There will be rooms available with one twin bed or two twin beds. Prices are per person, not per room. Breakfast is included, for a required additional charge.

To book for the dorms, Seattle University will have a form available soon which will include prices. (There is no longer a June 1st deadline for filling out the form – the deadline will be updated when the form is available. Thank you for your patience!)

There will be a shuttle bus service available for an extra charge in the morning from the dorms to SANCA, and in the evening from either SANCA or the showcase venue back to the dorms. The shuttle bus registration & fee collection will be through AYCO, in a registration form that will be available here on this website as soon as possible.

Youth Safety Travel Protection Policies

When organizations bring youth to an AYCO/ACE event, it is important that you have travel policies in place that focus on youth protection and follow them consistently. The ACYO/ACE Health and Wellness Advisory Committee has models such as this one on the Health and Wellness Resources List that organizations can reference in creating their own specific policies. Circus organizations’ youth travel protection policies should address such areas as: adult and youth being one-on-one together at any time while traveling, rooming, and how to report inappropriate behavior or abuse.

COVID Policies

Wearing a face mask is optional but recommended. We also encourage participants to take a rapid test before check-in on Thursday morning. If you are positive for COVID-19 or exhibiting symptoms, you should not attend. We also encourage attendees who are traveling on major transport (by air, train, or bus) to mask while traveling.

Workshop Leader Application

This is your chance to share your gifts with the national community, gain exposure, and influence the development of circus in the USA. Deadline: Monday, May 29th at 11.59pm Pacific Time.

Showcase Application

Are you a youth festival attendee and you’d like to share your artistry? Apply to be in the AYCOfest Showcase! Group acts representing attending organizations especially encouraged. Deadline: Thursday June 1st at 11.59pm Pacific Time.

Volunteer Application

We are looking for volunteers who are responsible, reliable, and interested in circus arts. Whether you are interested in circus learning, social circus, teaching, entrepreneurship, or creative development, the AYCOfest is the place to be. Enthusiasm and energy are a must! Young adults ages 18-26 prioritized as we want to support the next generation of circus educators! Extended Deadline: June 1st 11.59pm Pacific Time.

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Watch below for a peek inside the 2019 AYCOfest, our last in-person before the pandemic!