Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Hype Crew

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are bringing the circus to the Glendale Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library on Friday, October 30. It's not the full big top, though—the appearance is led by their Hype Crew, who take the circus act into the library through interactive performances. The set features reimagined circus acts and the high-energy excitement that's been the hallmark of the show for more than 150 years.

It's designed for school-age children and their families, so it's one of those things you can bring the kids to on a Friday morning. The Hype Crew's whole thing is interaction, so this isn't a sit-still-and-watch kind of show. They bring the circus to the room rather than bringing you to the circus.

The venue itself has a bit of a story. The Glendale Branch is in the Broad Ripple community and first opened in 2000 inside Glendale Mall, making it the country's first full-service library located in a major shopping mall. In 2024, it moved into a new 24,800-square-foot space at the site of the former John Strange Elementary School, so if you haven't been in a while, it's a different spot than it used to be.

The show runs from 10:00 AM to 10:40 AM on Friday, October 30, at the Glendale Branch, 3660 East 62nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46220. It's a short, 40-minute session, so it's an easy one to fit in before the rest of your day gets moving.