In the mid-1800's the "freak show" was a new form of popular entertainment that centered around the display of unusual people.
Distinctive banner art was a form of advertising designed to draw circus visitors to see the freaky and wonderful—the unexplainable things inside the sideshow tent. Garish portraits of freaks, monsters and oddities recall a time when compassion and restraint collapsed in the face of the exotic and the erotic.
Today vintage banners often considered early examples of pop art. These fascinating cloth billboards are highly prized by dedicated art buyers and people seeking unusual decorations for their homes.
On this page you'll find sideshow banners that have been meticulously created in the style of 1920s and 1930s. All photos on this page and on this website are either stills from the feature documentary Freaky Circus Guy or were taken by director Jane Burek.
