Coming soon to an arena near you

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey hit the road this fall with its big-tent show, "Kaleidoscape"

September 28, 2000
Web posted at: 5:08 PM EDT (2108 GMT)

By Greg Botelho
CNNfyi Writer

(CNN) -- Still have holes in your entertainment schedule? No need to worry -- there are more than enough fun options this season for just about anyone.

Fall's a great time for outdoor fun. It may be hooting and hollering at a Friday night football game, taking a walk in the park or carving your Halloween pumpkin. And amusing yourself is easy, too, be it campaigning for homecoming queen, hamming it up at house parties, roller-skating or whatever else you do.

Sometimes though you want to be entertained without the aid of a big screen, CD player or video game console. In this vein, you can attend local theater, sporting events, assorted fall festivals or many other activities -- a few of which are highlighted here.

Nowadays, ice skating is about more than lacing up your skates and heading to the nearest body of (frozen) water. It's a year-round, multimillion dollar business -- and, chances are, it's coming soon to an arena near you.

Disney's taken to the ice like a fish to water, with each season seemingly marking the debut of another movie/cartoon/play turned ice extravaganza. Disney on Ice's "Jungle Adventures" is one such production on tour this fall. Ice Capades meanwhile has built a storied tradition with its outrageous costumes, fun shows and never-ending tour schedule.

The world's most popular figure skaters are top professionals such as Michelle Kwan and Elvis Stojko. Often performing in shows with quirky titles such as "Ice Wars," "Ice Jams" and "Divas on Ice," they skate in large ice rinks from coast to coast. This season's biggest event will be the World Professional Figure Skating Championship, set for the weekend of December 8 in Washington.

Anyone ever tempted to join the circus -- at least for a day -- will have ample opportunity to do so this fall. For decades, people from ages 3 to 93 have enjoyed quality time under the big top.

The biggest show of them all is Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. From Seattle to Boston, elephants and clowns will romp around arenas formerly occupied by pro athletes and headline musicians. Last year, Ringling Bros. brought back the real big top -- giant outdoor tents, once the defining characteristic of the circus -- after a 44-year hiatus. "Kaleidoscape," as these shows are called, offers an action-packed, sophisticated brand of circus entertainment.

In these respects, "Kaleidoscape" resembles Cirque de Soleil. Formed in Canada in 1982, Cirque de Soleil -- a combination circus, theater, art and spectacle -- has become a favorite international institution.

National rodeo tours and professional wrestling shows are sure to attract thousands hankering for unique brands of fun this fall.

World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation will be the main event in numerous cities. With wrestling's popularity near an all-time high, tickets certainly will be hard to come by. Those looking for a less expensive and more up-close good time can check out one of the many local "pro" wrestling exhibitions.

From Texas to Florida to Washington state, the rodeo is the preferred pastime for many Americans. People come to rodeo rings to see true professionals show off their talents, riding horses and bulls, roping cattle and more.