We are offering the 1954 Barnum Festival Souvenir Program held in Bridgeport, Connecticut at Hedges Memorial Stadium from June 30 to July 5, 1954. (8 1/2" x 11").
The festival honored P. T. Barnum, the greatest showman in the world, and former Mayor and benefactor of Bridgeport. It included the Great Ballyhoo Show with Master of Ceremonies Ed Sullivan of the "
Toast of the Town" TV program, the Championship American Legion Drum and Fife Corps Competition, and Parade. Sigurd B. Swanson was Ringmaster.
The schedule of events were: June 30 - Luncheon at Lion's Club; July 1 - Visitation to Hospitals by Ringmaster, Clowns and Musical Units; July 2 - Arrival of Destroyer U.S.S. Keppler, with Ringmaster, King & Queen, and Jenny Lind greeting the ship, and in the evening - the Ballyhoo Show with performance by the Ink Spots, and appearances by Polly Bergen, movie and TV star, Joan Holloway, dancer, and comedy acts; July 3 - Junior Olympics at Seaside Park and evening fireworks at Pleasure Beach; July 4 - Decoration of the graves of P. T. Barnum and Tom Thumb at Mountain Grove Cemetery, Yacht Regatta and afternoon Concert at Seaside Park, and in the evening a Parade of Champions with seven American Legion Drum and Fife Corps competing for the championship; July 5 - Giant Street Parade celebrating P. T. Barnum's birthday with 36 large balloons depicting fairy tale characters, 40 floats and 30 bands.