What's newSwan Brothers has the recipe for laughter
If laughter is the best medicine, then the owners of the Swan Brothers Circus have got to be doctors.
Zippy, left, Hi-Tops, and Trixie, the dog, make up the Swan Brothers
Circus which will once again be performing at the Lodi Grape Festival
and Harvest Fair. (Amy Weddell/News-Sentinel)
Andy and Mike Swan, who have been in the funny business for more than 30 years, will be bringing their special blend of clowning, juggling and magic to Lodi’s Grape Festival, where they have performed off and on for nearly 15 years.
About 20-30 times a month, from February to October, Andy and Mike morph into clown personalities Zippy and Hi-Tops and take their show on the road. Their mission: To put smiles on the faces of everyone they meet.
What can you expect at a Swan Brothers Circus show?
Everything from juggling and off-the-wall humor, to stunts, jokes and magic. Also appearing in the show is Trixie the Wonder Dog, a poodle outfitted in circus attire who jumps over audience members and plunges from great heights into the open arms of her trainers.
“She’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser,” Andy said of their 18-year-old co-star, adding that many tough crowds have been won over by her charms.
The Swan Brothers Circus got its start in 1973 when Andy was on a break from the DeWayne Brothers Circus in Seaside, Ore. He says his love of juggling led him to create an arena where he could run his own show.
Andy enlisted Mike’s help and the two immediately decided to start building a set.
“We had nothing to do,” said Mike, “So we went to the hardware store, bought some wood and made props.”
For their first show as The Swan Brothers, in Wichita Falls, Texas the cost of admission was a can of food because neither of the brothers had enough money to eat. Now, decades later, they’ve worked their way up to actually earning money for their performances.
They’ve even added a 40 by 60-foot big top tent to house their audience, which often grows to include as many as a hundred kids. Andy said that sometimes former audience members, now grown, bring their own children to the circus to experience firsthand what they once felt.
And the brothers are sure to be performing for generations to come. Both Andy and Mike agree that Zippy and Hi-Tops are in it for the long haul.
“I’m going to do this as long as I can,” Andy said. “Hopefully until I’m 100.”
The Swan Brothers are simply living proof that laughter is contagious.
“Everything makes us happy,” said Mike, displaying a wide grin. “See?”
So if you need to put a little pep in their step, or crack a smile once in a while, the Swan Brothers Circus has the cure for what ails you.
The Swan Brothers Circus will be performing on the General Mills Stage at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Contact reporter Sara Cardine at sarac@lodinews.com.
