A quick glance at the picture at right and the unknowing cynic would think that Congressional Republicans took the day to rub the District’s second-class status in the face of its residents. Thankfully, the parade of elephants down East Capitol Street yesterday afternoon was much more innocent than that — the circus is back in town.

The “Pachyderm Parade” signals a five-day stint by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus at the D.C. Armory, starting today and running through March 26. The “Greatest Show on Earth” will then move to the Verizon Center from March 29 to April 2 and the Patriot Center at George Mason University from April 5-16.

We haven’t been to the circus in years, decades even. Maybe now’s the time to get over that irrational fear of clowns and trapeze artists and give it a chance again.

Picture snapped by Matt Strada.

Filed Under: Arts and Events, Bailey Circus, capitol hill, Congressional Republicans, district, east capitol street, eastcapitolstreet, george mason, George Mason University, news, parade, patriot center, photos, republicans, ringling brothers, running, university, verizon center,