PHILADELPHIA, PA — Witches will soar through the air, acrobats will perform seemingly impossible feats, and a century-old church will become a world of Halloween magic when the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts brings its annual Haunted Circus back to West Mt. Airy.
The two-day celebration, scheduled for Oct. 23–24, will transform the school’s historic former sanctuary into a theatrical Halloween experience featuring aerial performances, mysterious characters, daring circus acts and supernatural surprises.
This year’s production introduces two distinct experiences: SPELLBOUND: A Circus Spectacle, a family-friendly adventure designed to delight younger audiences, and COVEN: A Bewitching Circus Experience, a darker, adults-only production featuring mature themes, horror and humor.
Both productions draw inspiration from witches, magic and the supernatural, using the dramatic architecture of the converted church to create an immersive setting where performers fly high above the audience.
“Theatricality and storytelling have always been at the heart of what we do,” said Kitsie O’Neill, executive director of the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. “Circus and witchiness just seem to belong together – there’s already something magical about flying through the air, balancing in seemingly impossible ways and doing things that don’t seem quite humanly possible. Haunted Circus lets us lean into that magic, make it a little mysterious, a little mischievous and just a bit wicked.”
The festivities begin Friday evening with the first performance of COVEN. Saturday brings the family-friendly SPELLBOUND production in the late afternoon, followed by a second adults-only performance that evening.
SPELLBOUND Brings Halloween Magic to Families
For younger audiences and families looking for Halloween excitement without frightening scares, SPELLBOUND: A Circus Spectacle offers a playful introduction to the world of aerial artistry and theatrical storytelling.
The production takes place Saturday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m. and features the school’s youth and teen Performance Prep students alongside adult students and staff.
Performers will take to the air and stage with enchanting circus routines, mysterious characters and spooky surprises designed to capture the excitement of Halloween.
“Kids love Halloween, but not every kid wants to be terrified,” O’Neill said. “With SPELLBOUND, we wanted to capture that feeling of Halloween when you’re a kid – dressing up, staying out after dark, believing for a little while that magic might actually be real. There are thrills and chills, but the goal is for kids to leave excited, not hiding under the covers.”
Audience members of all ages are encouraged to wear costumes, adding to the festive atmosphere inside the historic venue.
Advance tickets cost $15 for adults and $10 for children and teens ages 2–17. Tickets purchased at the door cost $20 for adults and $15 for youth.
COVEN Offers a Wickedly Different Experience
When darkness falls, Haunted Circus takes a more mysterious turn.
COVEN: A Bewitching Circus Experience will be presented Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 p.m. Both performances are restricted to audiences ages 18 and older.
The production brings together Philadelphia School of Circus Arts performers for an evening of aerial artistry, daring feats, mysterious rituals and theatrical performances that embrace Halloween’s darker side.
Unlike the family-friendly afternoon show, COVEN incorporates mature themes, horror elements and adult humor.
“For COVEN, we can be a little more daring,” O’Neill said. “It can be darker, stranger, sexier and more surprising. We have this incredible building, performers flying overhead and an audience that is willing to follow us somewhere unexpected. For two nights, we get to turn the whole place into our own little coven.”
Guests are encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether as witches, mysterious wanderers or characters of their own invention.
Advance tickets are $25 per person, while admission at the door costs $30.
A Historic Setting for High-Flying Performances
One of the most distinctive features of Haunted Circus is its location.
The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts operates inside a converted church more than 100 years old at 6452 Greene Street in West Mt. Airy.
The building’s former sanctuary provides a dramatic backdrop for aerial performers, who can climb, balance and soar above spectators while surrounded by the architecture of the historic space.
For Haunted Circus, the school adds immersive Halloween decorations and theatrical elements that turn the venue into a supernatural world.
The annual production also gives students, faculty and experienced performers an opportunity to combine technical circus skills with original storytelling.
“Circus already asks you to believe that impossible things can happen,” O’Neill said. “Someone climbs a piece of fabric twenty feet into the air, someone balances where they shouldn’t possibly be able to balance, someone flies. Add Halloween to that, and suddenly anything feels possible. That’s what I love about this show.”
Event Details
- What: Philadelphia School of Circus Arts presents Haunted Circus 2026, featuring two Halloween-themed productions: SPELLBOUND: A Circus Spectacle for families and COVEN: A Bewitching Circus Experience for adults.
- When: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. for COVEN; Saturday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m. for SPELLBOUND; and Saturday, Oct. 24, at 8:30 p.m. for the second COVEN performance.
- Where: Philadelphia School of Circus Arts at Circus Campus, 6452 Greene Street, Philadelphia, PA 19119
- Cost/Tickets: SPELLBOUND advance admission is $15 for adults and $10 for youth ages 2–17; door prices are $20 for adults and $15 for youth. COVEN tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. COVEN is restricted to ages 18 and older.
- More Info: Tickets and performance information are available at phillycircus.com/upcoming-shows-events/
Costumes are encouraged for both productions, giving audience members an opportunity to participate in the Halloween atmosphere.
The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts offers year-round instruction for children and adults in disciplines including aerial silks, static trapeze, lyra, juggling, unicycling, tumbling and tightwire.
Its annual Haunted Circus celebration brings those skills together with theatrical storytelling, giving students and performers an opportunity to present original work inspired by the Halloween season.
For Philadelphia families seeking an imaginative alternative to traditional haunted attractions, SPELLBOUND offers an afternoon of aerial excitement without the intense scares. Adults looking for a more daring Halloween experience can explore the darker world of COVEN.
Together, the productions offer two ways to celebrate Halloween inside one of Mt. Airy’s most unusual performance spaces, where the historic setting and high-flying artistry make the supernatural feel a little closer to reality.
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