Garden Bros. Nuclear Circus Sets Up at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
60+ performers, aerial stunts, and a free kids ticket per adult — Garden Bros. Nuclear Circus hits Las Vegas Motor Speedway this September.
Published · 5 min read
Garden Bros. Nuclear Circus is pitching its big top at Las Vegas Motor Speedway September 17-20, bringing 60+ performers, aerial acts, and stunt comedy to the northeast valley. With nine showtimes across four days, a free kids ticket with every adult admission, and midway rides plus classic concessions like cotton candy and popcorn, it's a budget-friendly alternative to Strip-priced Cirque shows for families who'd rather skip the drive downtown. Tickets are on sale now at gardenbroscircus.com.
Quick Facts
- What: Garden Bros. Nuclear Circus — 60+ performers, acrobatics, aerial acts, stunts, comedy, midway rides and games
- When: Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, September 20, 2026
- Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
- Showtimes: 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1, 4, and 7 p.m. Sunday
- Tickets: On sale now at gardenbroscircus.com; free kids ticket with every adult general admission ticket
- Worth knowing: Concessions include popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, hot dogs, pizza, and cold drinks, plus midway rides separate from the main show
Las Vegas Motor Speedway isn’t known for family programming — most of what happens out there involves engines and a NASCAR schedule. But it’s the kind of booking that makes sense for a facility with that much open land and parking capacity, since a big top and a midway need room to spread out, and the Speedway has plenty of it.
The nine showtimes across four days are the detail that actually matters if you’re planning around work or school schedules. Thursday and Friday only give you two options, both afternoon and evening, which works fine if you're coming straight from work or picking kids up from school for the early one. Saturday and Sunday add a midday show, which makes sense if you’ve got younger kids who won’t make it to 7:30 p.m. without a meltdown. Three showtimes a day on the weekend also means less pressure to lock in one specific slot the moment tickets go live.
The free kids ticket with adult general admission is the number worth paying attention to if you've got more than one kid. Circus pricing has a way of adding up fast once you factor in concessions and midway rides, so getting the base admission covered for children changes the math for a family of four or five. Tickets are sold directly through gardenbroscircus.com, where the full schedule is also posted.
What's Actually in the Show
The lineup leans traditional — acrobatics, aerial acts, stunts, comedy — and that’s worth noting because circus in 2026 has largely split into two categories. There’s the Cirque-style resort production, heavy on theatrical concept and lighting design, and there’s the classic touring circus format that Garden Bros. represents, built around individual acts performed live in front of you rather than woven into an overarching narrative. Garden Bros. has been touring in this format for more than 100 years, and this Las Vegas stop is part of its regular circuit through cities around the country, not a one-off engagement.
That distinction matters if you’re deciding between this and something on the Strip. A traveling big top on a speedway lot isn’t built to deliver resort-scale production value. But if you want to sit close to a trapeze act and watch a comedy bit land in real time with a crowd that’s mostly families, that’s exactly what this format is for.
The midway activities and rides add another layer beyond the main tent — something to do before the show starts or after it wraps, which matters if you’re trying to fill an afternoon rather than just squeeze in an hour-long performance. Combined with the concession lineup, it reads as an event built to occupy a family for most of a day rather than a quick in-and-out show.
Tonight
Queen Selena
Get tickets
Getting There and What to Expect
Las Vegas Motor Speedway sits well outside the resort corridor, off Speedway Boulevard near I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard North. If you live in the northeast valley — North Las Vegas, Nellis, that stretch out toward Apex — this is a lot closer than anything happening on the Strip. Coming from Henderson or Summerlin means a real drive, so plan around it rather than treating it like a casual after-work outing.
Because this is a temporary setup rather than a permanent venue, there’s no parking structure or resort infrastructure to lean on — it’ll function like event parking at the Speedway typically does for its other programming. Get there with enough buffer before your showtime, especially for the weekend slots when three performances a day means more turnover in and out of the lot.
For comparison, other circus and family-spectacle options in town — Cirque du Soleil's residencies at various Strip resorts — run in fixed theaters with reserved seating and a production budget built into ticket prices that typically run well above general circus admission. Garden Bros. is priced and structured for a different audience: walk-up family entertainment rather than a bucket-list Vegas show.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is the circus happening?
The Garden Bros. Nuclear Circus sets up on the Speedway grounds for the four-day run. Check gardenbroscircus.com for the specific lot or entrance being used, since setup location for touring circuses can vary by date.
How much are tickets and is there a discount for kids?
Garden Bros. offers a free kids ticket with every adult general admission ticket purchased. Exact adult pricing is listed at the time of purchase on gardenbroscircus.com.
What showtimes are available each day?
Thursday and Friday have shows at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday adds a midday option with shows at 1:30, 4:30, and 7:30 p.m. Sunday runs at 1, 4, and 7 p.m.
Is food available at the venue, or should I eat beforehand?
Concessions are sold on-site, including popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, hot dogs, pizza, and cold drinks. There’s no need to eat beforehand unless you have specific dietary needs the standard circus concession stand won’t cover.
Are there activities besides the main circus performance?
Yes. Garden Bros. includes midway activities and rides in addition to the main show, so there's something to do before or after your scheduled performance time.
Related: Felipe Esparza Returns to MGM Grand Aces of Comedy September 2026
Keep reading
Shows / Concerts
Jade Eagleson to Open South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Weird or Wild
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sets Guinness World Record for Fireworks
Things To Do
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Hosts FoodieLand Festival March 27-29
Sports