You don’t have to run away to join the OPENAIR Circus this summer. The classes for children include stilting, many forms of juggling, unicycling, hula hoops, and commedia dell’arte. For children as young as 3, there are Tiny Tot Trio and Tumbling for Two. Most classes are for older children and teens, and adult students join in every year.

OPENAIR is a Somerville-based non-profit that for 34 years has been teaching circus arts, mostly in the summer, though it often teaches stilting in Somerville street festivals. Registration cost is low: $20/child or $30/family for the 6-week program. Students can take up to nine classes, depending on their interests and ages. See www.openaircircus.org for more details and the class schedule.

Classes meet for one hour per week, Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m., in Somerville parks. They begin June 25 and run through July 25. Online registration is now open. Or you can register in-person. The program culminates in performances under the big top at Nunziato Field near Union Square, the weekend of August 2.

OPENAIR Circus invites all to its annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, June 22 from 9:30 –11 a.m. at 67 Dane St. This is a great opportunity for newcomers to the OPENAIR Circus to meet others in the community and learn about the program and what to expect. It’s also a great opportunity for those who have taken part in the program in the past to reconnect while eating delicious food made by one of our board members. They will be serving pancakes, eggs, sausage, veggie patties, coffee and O.J. The event will be outdoors with both table and lawn space available (feel free to bring a blanket to sit on).