Performances run December 12, 2025 – January 4, 2026, at The Crossing at East Cut in San Francisco.
San Francisco’s beloved Circus Bella returns to the Big Top this holiday season with STARLIGHT, an all-new Winter Circus Spectacular running December 12, 2025, through January 4, 2026, at The Crossing at East Cut (211 Beale Street at Howard). The limited engagement features 26 performances only, including two festive New Year’s Eve shows.
Directed and conceived by Abigail Munn, Circus Bella’s co-founder, STARLIGHT is performed in the round beneath a colorful, heated Big Top tent, offering 90 minutes of breathtaking circus artistry and live music from the Circus Bella All-Star Band. This year’s show dazzles with new acts, sumptuous costumes by Autumn Adamme of Dark Garden Unique Corsetry, and a diverse cast of 13 performers from across the country, including featured guest stars Ariele Ebacher (tight wire) and Ossy Sanchez (bounce juggling, gauchos).
“Now, more than ever, we all need opportunities to laugh with our neighbors,” said Munn. “We’re thrilled to be back under our resplendent tent at The East Cut, in the city I call home, bringing joy and connection through the magic of circus.”
From aerial feats to clowning and live music, STARLIGHT blends the nostalgia of an old-time circus with a fresh, modern edge. The show runs approximately 90 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Concessions such as popcorn, cotton candy, pretzels, hot cider, and cocktails (21+) will be available, alongside discounted food and beverage offerings from the Gourmet Grotto and Greyhound Bar at The Crossing.
Tickets range from $55–$75 and are available at circusbella.vbotickets.com/events. Seating is divided into two sections: Premium (first two rows, assigned seating) and General Admission. The tent and restrooms are ADA-accessible.
Special New Year’s Eve Performances on Tuesday, December 31 at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will include festive party hats, streamers, and a midnight countdown to 2026 during the evening show.
Founded in 2008 by Abigail Munn and David Hunt, Circus Bella is a nonprofit performing arts organization dedicated to bringing the joy of a one-ring circus to audiences of all ages. Over 17 years, the company has performed for more than 115,000 people across the Bay Area and beyond — from San Francisco’s parks to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., and Huis Ten Bosch in Japan. Circus Bella is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and San Francisco Grants for the Arts.
Videos