Photos: Cirque Du Soleil's LUZIA Raises Big Top In Oaks, PA

Cirque du Soleil has raised the Big Top for LUZIA in Oaks, Pennsylvania, marking the production’s arrival at 100 Station Avenue outside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. The structure was lifted into place by more than 100 crew members during an afternoon installation event. Check out photos of the tent-raising.

The Big Top, which seats more than 2,600 people, is assembled over the course of eight days and stands approximately 19 meters high with a diameter of 51 meters. Four steel masts, each reaching 25 meters, support the structure, which is secured by 550 pegs across nearly 48,500 square feet of asphalt. The tent is engineered to withstand winds up to 75 mph, and its white canvas is designed to reflect sunlight and reduce energy consumption. The touring production travels with approximately 2,000 tons of equipment transported by 80 trailer trucks.

LUZIA will open in Oaks on May 7 and run through June 7. Additional information is available on the Cirque du Soleil website.