For 60 years, Peru was the winter headquarters for both large and small circuses. That ended in the 1940s, when someone finally wised up and figured out that Florida is a lot warmer than Indiana in the winter. Yet, the aura of circuses past still lingers on in the what is nicknamed the Circus City. Located on the Wabash and the Mississinewa rivers, this is a pretty region of North Central Indiana with caves carved by wind and waves.

Signs this is a circus town are many. After all where else would you find a big top erected on a building? The tent like roof makes it hard to miss Peru Circus, home to a small, but fascinating museum of local circus memorabilia. Also in Circus City is the vividly painted circus arena where the Peru Amateur Youth Circus, a group of 200 Miami County resident ages seven to 21 train so they can hold 10 circus performances during the eight day Circus City Festival in mid-July.