Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming to town, there’s a free elephant parade, and APISS has the hookup for discounted tickets!

The all-new live show from the celebrated circus is called Over The Top, an entertainment extravaganza featuring the ultimate tug of war between the Ringmaster and a clown for a magical top hat that controls the circus. The show has nearly 100 animals including flying dogs, Asian Elephants that groove, miniature horses, llamas, pigs and even a performing porcupine. There’s the tamer of a pack of Bengal tigers, motorcycles on the high wire and seven speeding riders in a Globe of Steel, a rare double-decker trapeze and oodles more.

Additionally, the interactive All-Access Pre-Show that teaches circus skills and allows kids to meet Ringling Bros. performers and animal stars is FREE to all ticket holders! Arrive one hour before the show begins and step onto the arena floor for this exciting interactive experience.

And Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are offering a special discount to area families: 4 tickets for $44 in great seats for the showtime you choose. With tickets priced at $95-$14, this is a huge savings! (Just now I personally went to Ticketmaster.com and was able to find tickets in the Acela Club section of the Verizon Center for opening night at this amazing price, a savings of $68 for my family!) Just go to here to Ticketmaster.com’s DC-area Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey listings and in the box called “MC Promotion” enter the special offer code “mom” for this exclusive discount. Note: You must purchase at least 4 tickets to qualify for this deal – additional tickets above 4 can be purchased for the same rate of $11 each. Also, children 2 and older must have their own tickets.

And to kick off the circus’s arrival in town, the biggest stars of the show – the elephants – will be parading the streets of Capitol Hill on Tuesday March 17! The estimated time of the pachyderm parade is 10am, but due to unpredictable train schedules, the exact time and route are subject to change. Call the Animal Walk Hotline for the latest info at 1-866-683-3670. The event organizers have another tip for APISS families: the best places to watch the walk are from Union Station and Stanton Park (Stanton has minimal traffic so it’s a good place to bring young children.)

And here’s when and where you can see the Greatest Show on Earth:

Washington, DC: Verizon Center – March 18th to 22nd
Wednesday March 18th at 7:00 pm
Thursday March 19th at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Friday March 20th at 7:30 pm
Saturday March 21st at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm, and 7:30 pm
Sunday March 22nd at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm

Baltimore: 1st Mariner Arena – March 25th – April 5th
Wednesday March 25th at 7:30 pm
Thursday March 26th at 7:30 pm
Friday March 27th at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Saturday March 28th at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday March 29th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Wednesday April 1st at 7:30 pm
Thursday April 2nd at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Friday April 3rd at 7:30 pm
Saturday April 4th at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday April 5th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm

Fairfax: Patriot Center – April 8th – 19th
Wednesday April 8th at 7:00 pm
Thursday April 9th at 7:00 pm
Friday April 10th at 1:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Saturday April 11th at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday April 12th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Thursday April 16th at 7:00 pm
Friday April 17th at 10:30 am and 7:00 pm
Saturday April 18th at 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday April 19th at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm

Thanks to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for the 411, discounts and parade info for DC-area families!