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The roar of motorcycles filled the air at the Zerbini Family Circus as riders tore through the “Globe of Death.” Inside the steel sphere, a lone performer stood perfectly still while bikes whipped past, missing her by inches. The crowd gasped at the speed The blur of neon-green tires streaked in circles like lasers flashing through the cage.
For some, a circus might feel like something from a bygone era, a hazy memory of clowns, acrobats and animals under a big top. For the performers inside the ring, the circus is alive, evolving and rooted in a family tradition that spans centuries.
Inside the centerpiece stunt, the “Globe of Death,” motorcycles crisscross within a steel cage at speeds topping 55 miles per hour. At the center, performer Kylie Fernandez stands still as the bikes whip past her.
“It’s pretty scary,” Fernandez said. “Sometimes when I don’t think about it, I’m okay. But when I see how close they are and how fast they’re going, I do get nervous. If I stick my finger out, they’re touching me. If I lift my hand at the wrong time, I’m in pain.”
Her husband, Brandon Fernandez, has been riding in the globe for 16 years. He calls the stunt both exhilarating and grueling.
“It’s just a lot of adrenaline going on,” Brandon Fernandez said. “When you first start learning, you get really dizzy, even black out. The G-forces are really high, so you have to train your body and practice for hours and hours. I like to call it the Globe of Steel. It sounds less scary for the audience, but for us, it’s still intense.”
Brandon Fernandez said learning starts small, first on a bicycle to get used to the motion, then on progressively larger motorbikes until a rider can handle the full force of the steel cage.
“You just have to keep doing it to get used to it,” Brandon Fernandez said. “I’ve been doing this most of my life.”
Ringmaster Melody Ramirez said while the motorcycle stunt is one of the flashiest acts in the lineup, the circus blends old traditions with new thrills.
“Our family has been in the business for over 200 years, most of my family were trapeze artists or high-wire walkers, but I wanted to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground,” Ramirez said.
According to Remirez, they love incorporating modern acts. There aren’t lion tamers, but there are motorcycles, comedians instead of clowns and a strong family dynamic.
“My dad said, ‘You talk a lot, so you can be a ringmaster,’” Ramirez said with a laugh. “Most of my family were trapeze artists or high-wire walkers, but I wanted to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground. This is the perfect role for me.”
While her father’s generation dazzled with lions or elephants, Ramirez said today’s audiences crave thrills of a different kind but still built on family trust. Ramirez said Family ties run through every aspect of the show
“We’re all related,” Ramirez said. “The girl from the Globe is my husband’s niece, the owner is my brother, and we have cousins performing too. It’s incredible to travel together, entertaining other families.”
The Zerbini Family Circus traces its roots to Paris, France, before they relocated to the U.S. in 1993. Today, the troupe mostly tours the eastern United States, with occasional stints in Canada and South America. Their visit to the fair marks their second year performing here.
“Last year was kind of a test run,” Ramirez said. “But people kept asking for the circus, so they brought us back. We like to keep the show different each year, so people want to see us again.”
Beyond spectacle, Ramirez said the circus offers something increasingly rare: live, shared entertainment for all ages.
“We just want people to know that the circus is the oldest form of wholesome family American entertainment,” Ramirez said. “Whether you’re one or 101, there’s something that everyone will enjoy. It’s a great American tradition, and we hope we can continue it for 200 more years.”
