World's Largest Miniature Circus Comes to O'Neil - Sheffield Shopping Center – August 1962

Vintage Postcard of Ernie's Circus – "World's Largest Most Fabulous Hand Carved Exhibit"

Back in the days when people used to like to leave their homes to shop, merchants often utilized special promotions to entice people to visit their stores.

Sometimes these promotions could get pretty elaborate, such as the O'Neil - Sheffield Shopping Center bringing in the Paul Miller's Wild Animal Circus to entertain shoppers back in June of 1962 (which I wrote about here). 

On the other hand, sometimes something tiny was the drawing card – such as Ernie's Miniature Circus, which paid a visit to the O'Neil - Sheffield Shopping Center in late August 1962, just a few months after Paul Miller's Circus.

Below is an article that ran in the Journal on August 29, 1962. 

The miniature circus, a 'midget replica' of the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Show, was the brainchild of Ernest Palmquist. As the article notes, "All of the tumblers, all of the clowns, all the animals... all of the remarkable members of the "Ernie's Circus" troupe are laboriously hand carved of wood. Many of the figures are animated. All are accurately designed to scale.

"Several years ago, "Ernie's Circus" was a big attraction at the Brussels World's Fair. In 1964 and 1965, he will be booked for two years at the New York World's Fair.

"Ernie loves circuses. This is the reason he began whittling circus figures, back in the days when he had his own band, and later when he was a novelty tune writer with Ted Weems Orchestra.

Here's some black and white footage from June 1962 of some workers unpacking "Ernie's Circus" for an engagement in Roanoke.

And here's a poster for sale on the American Decay website.

And here are some photos of some of Ernie's creations, courtesy of the Daily Press.

I wonder where Ernie's Circus is today?