Flotsam River Circus drops anchor at McKinley Woods for free performance

The Flotsam River Circus will bring its aerial acrobatics, circus acts, songs and silliness to McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove on Monday, Sept. 14.

The outdoor entertainment troupe will perform on the shore of the Des Plaines River behind Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon.

The free, all-ages event will take place from 5-7 p.m. in partnership with the Channahon Park District.

The theme of the performance is what happens when the world goes awry and mutant fish take over.

Flotsam River Circus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the goal of spreading whimsy, wonder and a spirit of possibility.

When Flotsam River Circus contacted the Forest Preserve District about performing on the river at the preserve, it was a unique opportunity that was hard to pass up, said Jerome Gabriel, facility supervisor at Four Rivers.

“The Flotsam River Circus is a non-profit organization that seeks to bring awareness to the nation’s local waterways through art and performance,” he said. “Being a preserve that is completely surrounded by water and on a working river, we felt it was important for people to come out to celebrate our local waterways and all they offer.”

DBLdawgs Food Truck will be serving food from 5-8 p.m. Plan to bring camp chairs or blankets to sit on during the free performance, which begins at 6 p.m.

“I hope that families find a relaxing and fun evening along the riverbanks while gaining an appreciation of what the water brings to our local community,” Gabriel said.

According to the group’s website, Flotsam River Circus is a troupe of musicians, circus performers and puppeteers who travel on a ramshackle raft giving free performances in waterfront towns.

So far this year, the circus has performed on its Illinois Waterway Tour in St. Louis, Alton, Grafton, Hardin, Meredosia, Beardstown, Havana, Pekin, Peoria, Chillicothe, Henry, Hennepin, Ottawa and Morris. The troupe will head to Chicago and Lincolnwood after the McKinley Woods event.

Since 2019, the troupe has covered nearly 3,000 miles of river, performing in 15 different states.

“Our tours have taken us down many rivers, including the Sacramento, the Ohio, and the Mississippi,” the Flotsam website states. “In 2025, we traveled from Buffalo to New York City to help celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal. This year, we are traveling up the Illinois Waterway from St. Louis to Chicago. In future years, we hope to bring our floating circus to the rivers and canals of Europe – and eventually all over the world.”