Circus Classic continues annual tradition at 2025 Kewanna Fall Festival

Monday, September 29, 2025 at 11:34 AM

By Shelby Lopez

The 2025 Kewanna Fall Festival brought its annual festivities to downtown Kewanna over the weekend bringing in thousands of people to the “Small Town with a Big Heart.” Among the traditions at the festival, the Liebling family of Davenport, FL have brought their circus to the event for the past two decades.

The Liebling's first came to Kewanna in 2003 as a family of six who would perform for audiences under their big top tent, free of charge from the public. Hired by Kewanna Fall Festival founder Tom Mate, the Kewanna Fall Festival soon became a tradition to the Liebling's just as much as it was to the local community.

Although time has changed the family of six two of the Liebling siblings, Tomi Liebling, 28, and Mariska Liebling, 26, currently own the business, now named Circus Classic, continuing not only the annual Kewanna tradition, but also their family legacy. Being 16th generation circus performers, the Liebling family continues to be one of oldest circus families still touring today.

Currently holding around 10 employees for their shows, the Circus Classic has collected a number of helpers to join their show over the years as well. Among those helpers, local Tippecanoe Valley High School graduate Maci Jaberg says it was Kewanna that brought her under circus tent spotlights when she first joined their crew at the festival in 2011.

“My mom had been a vendor at the Kewanna Fall Festival and I went to shows with her. At this time, I was 12 and had been performing in the Peru Amateur Circus since I was 6 years old,“ Jaberg said. “My mom said something to the Liebling's about me knowing how to ride a unicycle and I was invited to the show. I guess the rest is just history.“

After graduating in 2016 Jaberg juggled the idea of going to school for biology and looked into starting college classes before taking the leap of joining the Liebling's family circus full-time after starting a relationship with Tomi Liebling. Jaberg says the decision has made for an adventure of a lifetime, taking her to performances in 49 states. The experience has given Jaberg a glimpse into the circus culture and the tight-knit family that culture carried across the world.

Now almost a decade into the business, Jaberg said Kewanna still remains the Circus Classic's favorite show of the year and something the entire crew looks forward to each year.

From Thursday, Sept 25, to Sunday, Sept. 28, Classic Circus performed seven times, each show still being free to the public. The current Kewanna Fall Festival Director Ashley Van Lake said she is thankful for the generous sponsors who support the event each year that make everything possible for the community.

Other entertainment during the festival included Live Pro Wrestling, music, games, rides, a parade and more. Check out photos from the Hometown Heroes parade in downtown Kewanna on Saturday in the gallery below. This year's theme for the parade was dedicated to honoring teachers.