The Zoppe's have quite the family history, and it starts with a love story 175 years ago and comes full circle on Sept. 8-10 in Nottingham Park. For the Zoppe Italian Family Circus, it all started 175 years ago, in 1842, when a young French street performer named Napoline Zoppe, looking for work, met a graceful ballerina named Ermenegilda in Budapest.

However, since Napoline was a clown, Ermenegila's father disapproved of the relationship, so the two ran off to Venice, Italy, and started the circus that still bears the same name today and will be in Avon for three performances.