Some events want everyone to join in. Others want a moment where the room stops, looks up and forgets for a second where it is. A stilt walker gliding through a festival crowd. Fire spinning against a summer sky as the evening turns. A wall of white silk breathing in the draught of a fan while light pours across it from three directions. These are the moments guests film, share and still talk about weeks later.
That is the “watching” side of circus, and it is what eclipseArts brings when you hire an act. Run by Bristol performer Tom Makin, with more than 30 years at events of every size, eclipseArts is your way to hire circus acts across Bristol, Bath and the South West: fire, stilts, walkabout, glow, juggling and bespoke light installations. Book a single act to headline your night, or build your own line-up from the menu below and let us bring the whole thing together for you.
Quick answer: eclipseArts provides circus acts for hire in Bristol and across the South West: fire performers, stilt walkers, walkabout and meet-and-greet characters, a UV and glow set, juggling and cabaret, bespoke fabric-and-light installations, and UV puppet-show days. Book one act or a full evening, for weddings, corporate events, festivals, launches and grown-up birthday parties. Fully insured (public liability up to 10 million pounds) , with all equipment and setup included. For the bigger line-ups, the more notice you give us the more we can build. Tell us your date and venue for a tailored quote on WhatsApp or via our contact page.
Build your own event
Think of this as a menu rather than a fixed package. Tom performs some acts himself and, over three decades in the business, has come to know many of the best fire spinners, hoopers and stilt walkers in the country. That means eclipseArts can put the right people in front of your guests and coordinate the whole act for you, so you deal with one person from first enquiry to the moment the show ends. Pick one act as a centrepiece, or combine a few across the night. Here is what you can bring in.
Fire performers
Fire is the act people remember. At its simplest, an intimate solo set of poi, staff and fire clubs, roughly twelve minutes, that makes a perfect close to a wedding or a party. Add sparkle with a wire-wool spin, where a cage of burning wire throws a fountain of sparks into the dark, stunning in the right open setting. Or scale it right up: with enough notice we can arrange a full troupe of fire performers for a group show that turns an evening into a spectacle, and for a real showpiece we can bring in a headline soloist who has performed fire shows for venues around the world. If you are searching for a fire performer in Bristol or fire entertainers for an event, this is where to start.
Fabric and light installations
This is something a little different, and something eclipseArts loves to make. We set up large panels of fine white silk, give them movement with hidden fans, then project light and image onto them from several angles at once. The result is a living, shifting piece of art: a feature wall, a backdrop, a chill-out space or an entrance that transforms a plain room into something immersive. It is quiet where fire is loud, and it works beautifully for launches, weddings, dinners and any event that wants atmosphere rather than a big bang. Each installation is designed around your space and arranged in advance.
Stilt walkers
Costumed stilt walkers tower over the crowd, meet and greet guests, pose for photographs and lift the whole feel of an event the moment they appear. We work with some of the best walkabout stilt performers around, so with a little notice we can put striking, professional characters into your festival, launch, shopping centre or wedding, working the space as guests arrive and mingling through the crowd.
UV and glow set
A striking solo set performed under very powerful UV light, luminous and colour-changing, and made for a dark room or an evening event. It is a favourite for corporate dinners and club-style nights, and eclipseArts has performed UV work internationally, including a set for a major product launch in Istanbul. Larger or longer glow acts can be arranged by bringing in additional performers.
Walkabout and meet-and-greet
Roaming entertainment that circulates, interacts and keeps a crowd engaged without needing a stage. Walkabout characters are perfect for arrivals, drinks receptions, festivals and public events, building a buzz and giving guests something to gather around wherever they are.
Juggling and cabaret
Self-contained juggling and cabaret sets that drop neatly into a running order: between courses at a dinner, into a gap in a festival programme, or as a stand-alone set-piece. Skilful, funny and easy to watch, with props Tom has made and refined over the years.
Circus workshops as part of the day
If you want your guests doing as well as watching, a hands-on circus skills workshop can sit alongside the acts: have-a-go juggling, plate spinning, hoops and more, run by our team, with a little walkabout or stilt work woven in. See our circus workshops page for the full picture, or ask us to build a workshop into your event.
UV puppet-show days
For something more creative and hands-on, we can run a UV puppet show as a day-long project. The group gathers and makes puppets and props from collected materials, then we build them into a glowing performance under ultraviolet light, all in a single day, or across a few days for something more ambitious. It finishes with a show the group has made themselves. It is an affordable, all-in-one option that works brilliantly for schools, youth groups, community projects and festivals.
Create the whole production
Because eclipseArts can call on a network of trusted performers, we can go well beyond a single act. We have coordinated line-ups of several entertainers under one roof, and given enough time we can put together a full evening of performance, a larger showpiece, or even source a circus tent as the centrepiece of an event. If you have a vision for something ambitious, tell us early. The one rule worth knowing: the bigger the production, the more notice it needs. For a full fire troupe, a team of stilt walkers or a tent, roughly two to three months gives us the room to book the right people and do it properly.
Circus acts for every kind of event
The watching side of circus suits any event that wants a spectacle. eclipseArts is booked most often for weddings, corporate events and grown-up birthday parties, and the acts work just as well at festivals and public events:
- Weddings. A fire finale for the evening, walkabout entertainment during the drinks reception, a silk-and-light installation as a backdrop, and processional performers. Tom has led wedding processions in the Hindu tradition, where jugglers are considered auspicious.
- Corporate events and team days. Our favourite corporate format is a hands-on circus skills workshop during the day, then a fire show to finish once the work is done: the team has a go, then sits back and watches the professionals close the day. We also provide arrival acts, between-courses cabaret and a UV set as the room dims. See our corporate events page for the team-building side.
- Teen and milestone birthday parties. For older teenagers and adults, roughly 16 and up, we put together an edgier show: fire spinning and fire hoopers that turn a garden or hall party into something with real atmosphere. A proper centrepiece for a 16th, 18th, 21st or another big milestone. For children’s parties from age 6 upwards, see our kids party page instead.
- Festivals and outdoor events. Stilt walkers and walkabout acts working a crowd, fire performance after dark, and juggling sets on and off a stage.
- Public events, launches and shopping centres. Walkabout, stilt and installation pieces that keep crowds lingering and draw people in, ideal for retail spaces, high streets and seasonal events.
Whether it is a marquee, a field, a ballroom, a city square or a private garden, eclipseArts arrives with the kit and shapes the performance around your event.
Why book eclipseArts
eclipseArts is not a faceless directory that hands you a stranger and steps away. It is Tom Makin, drawing on people he knows and trusts and coordinating the act himself, so there is one point of contact who actually cares how your event goes.
- Real experience, at every scale. More than 30 years performing, from Glastonbury Festival and Blenheim Palace to international events in Istanbul and Prague. eclipseArts has worked in settings most entertainers never see.
- A curated roster, not a phone book. The performers we bring in are people Tom has worked alongside and rates, so you get quality acts and someone who knows how to make them work together.
- Handmade and original. Tom designs and builds his own props, costumes and installations, so your act is distinctive rather than off-the-shelf.
- One act or a full line-up. Book a single centrepiece, or let us build and run a whole evening, arranged in advance.
- Fully covered. Public liability insurance up to 10 million pounds , risk assessments for fire and stilt work , and all equipment and setup included.
Where we perform
eclipseArts is based in Keynsham and covers Bristol, Bath and the wider South West, including Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The core area sits within about 20 miles of Keynsham, and events further afield are covered by arrangement, so just tell us where you are when you enquire.
How booking works
Booking is simple. Tell us the date, the venue, the rough number of guests, and what you are picturing, whether that is a single fire finale, a stilt walker for arrivals, a silk-and-light installation for a launch, or a mix across the night. We will put together a plan and a clear quote. Everything comes with the kit, the setup and the experience of someone who has performed at hundreds of events. For fire troupes, stilt teams and larger productions, earlier notice is better, especially in summer and over the festive season.
Prices
Circus acts are quoted per event, because the right package depends on which acts you want, how long they perform, the size of your event and how far we are travelling. Rather than a fixed price, you get a tailored quote for exactly what your event needs, whether that is one act or a full evening of performance. Every booking is fully insured (public liability up to 10 million pounds) and includes all equipment. Get in touch with your date and venue for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What circus acts can I hire in Bristol?
eclipseArts offers fire performers, stilt walkers, walkabout and meet-and-greet characters, a UV and glow set, juggling and cabaret, bespoke fabric-and-light installations, and UV puppet-show days. Acts can be booked individually or combined into a full line-up, and we cover Bristol, Bath and the South West.
Can you arrange more than one act or a full line-up?
Yes. As well as single acts, eclipseArts can coordinate several performers for a full evening of entertainment, a larger showpiece, or even a circus tent as a centrepiece. The bigger the production, the more notice we need, so please get in touch early with what you have in mind.
Can I hire a fire performer for a wedding or event?
Yes. Fire is one of our most popular acts, from an intimate solo set to a full troupe for a group show. It is staged as an outdoor or open-air performance where space and conditions allow, and it is fully insured.
What is the fabric and light installation?
It is an immersive art piece: large panels of fine white silk given movement by hidden fans, with light and image projected onto them from several angles. It makes a striking backdrop, feature or entrance for launches, weddings and dinners, and it is designed around your space and arranged in advance.
How much notice do you need?
A single act can often be arranged at shorter notice. For the bigger line-ups, a full fire troupe, a team of stilt walkers or a circus tent, roughly two to three months lets us book the right people and set it up properly. If your date is sooner, still ask, and we will tell you honestly what we can do.
Are your acts insured?
Yes. eclipseArts carries public liability insurance (up to 10 million pounds) and risk assessments for fire and stilt work , and all equipment and setup are included in your booking.
How much do circus acts cost to hire?
Every event is quoted individually, based on which acts you want, how long they perform, the size of the event and travel. Tell us your date and venue and we will send a clear, tailored quote with no hidden extras.
What areas do you cover?
Based in Keynsham, we cover Bristol, Bath and the wider South West, including Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, with the core area within about 20 miles of Keynsham and further afield by arrangement.
Build your event with eclipseArts. Give your guests a moment they will still be talking about. Tell us your date and venue for a tailored quote: message on WhatsApp or use our contact page.