Giffords Circus
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Stroud
What it’s like
A big top show with horses and dogs at its heart, plus acrobatics, running just under two hours with an interval.
This isn't a circus with a ringmaster shouting over speakers and plastic seats. It's horses and dogs woven right through the acts, alongside the acrobatics, under canvas. The show runs just under two hours, split into two 40-minute halves with a 25-minute interval in between, which is a decent length for most kids without tipping into fidgeting territory.
Seating is unreserved, so the queue at the door matters more than your ticket time. Front of House and the food wagons open an hour before the show, tent doors about 15 to 30 minutes before that, and turning up early is genuinely worth it if you want a good view rather than a pillar. If you're running late they'll still find you a seat, but not during an animal act, since nobody's moving people about while horses are in the ring.
Food-wise there's more choice than you'd expect from a travelling show. The café wagon does burgers and hot dogs, there's candyfloss and popcorn from Front of House, and if you fancy making a proper night of it there's Circus Sauce, a 70-cover travelling restaurant with a three-course menu you book separately. Worth knowing that on move days, which fall on Mondays, it's café wagon only, so that's not the day for the sit-down dinner plan.
It's outdoors and the ground can get rutted and muddy after rain, so wellies or old trainers are a better shout than anything you mind getting dirty. Wheelchair spaces are available in the tent with level access, and there's a complimentary carer ticket if you book the wheelchair space ahead. Assistance dogs are allowed but have to leave the tent during the dog and horse acts, and you need to tell the box office 48 hours before.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Suits families with kids old enough to sit through a two-hour show
- Parking
- Blue badge parking marked out nearer to tent
- How long to allow
- Just under 2 hours
- Food
- Travelling restaurant Circus Sauce (70 cover, three-course dinners from £30 children/£50 adults with changing menu)
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair spaces available in tent with level access
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only, but must not enter tent during dog and horse acts
- Ground can get rutted and muddy after rain, so dress feet for mud not your Sunday best
- Arrive early since seating is first-come-first-served, not allocated
- Move days are Mondays, when food is café wagon only
- There's no parking at the Chiswick House and Gardens location if that's the one you're heading to
Plan your visit
How long does the show last?
Just under two hours, with two 40-minute halves and a 25-minute interval.
Do we have allocated seats?
No, all seating is unreserved. Whoever's at the front of the queue gets first pick of seats.
What if we arrive late?
Front of House will still find you a seat, but they'll hold you back if it's during an animal act since the horses need a still tent.
What food is on offer?
A café wagon with burgers and hot dogs, plus candyfloss, popcorn and ice cream, and Circus Sauce, a 70-cover travelling restaurant with a three-course menu you book separately. On move day Mondays it's just the café wagon.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There are wheelchair spaces in the tent with level access and a complimentary carer ticket, but you'll need to select this when booking or call the box office.
Can we bring our dog?
Only assistance dogs, and they have to leave the tent during the dog and horse acts. You need to let the box office know at least 48 hours ahead.
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