The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus makes a stop in Smithfield.

As the blue-and-white-striped big top went up, sideshow host and clown Brent DeWitt pounded stakes as he erected his smaller sideshow tent. He placed a sign in the front proclaiming “The Strangest Thing You’ve Ever Seen” in three languages.

“I just love the circus business. I’ve been very fortunate because I absolutely love what I do 99.9 percent of the time. Now there are those days, but the majority of the time I love what I do,” said DeWitt.

The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus stopped at Smithfield’s Central Park on Aug. 1 for one night of old-fashioned circus entertainment. Billed as “America’s Favorite Big Top Circus,” the show included a trapeze artist, clowns and, of course, a big cat show.

For the Hinds sisters of Smithfield, it was all about the elephants.

“The clowns were really funny and the elephants were cool and fluffy … well, not really fluffy; they were spiky when I rode on them,” said 8-year-old Ellie Hinds as she and her sisters exited the big top after the show.

“The acrobats were really cool and the elephants were really funny,” said Saige Hinds, 6.

“My very favorite part was the elephants and the tigers and I loved it so much I never thought that I would go to a real circus like that,” added Cambridge Hinds, 11.

Many circus performers will tell you the business gets into your blood. Most will even recite an old anecdote about how every time they go to the doctor for a check-up the doctor tells them they have “too much sawdust in your veins.” The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus performers also suffer from this ailment.

“I’ve been in the business since I was 7. I’m 44 now and I’m gonna give it another year or two and see if I really like it or not,” DeWitt said with a smile.