Carpa Garcia: The Mexican Circuses of South Texas

The Mexican and Mexican American community of South Texas was home to a lively arts culture. Family owned and operated carpas or circuses drew large crowds of working-class people touring all over the state. Carpa Garcia was one of the most well known and longest-running circuses, with their home base in San Antonio, Texas for many years. The Garcia family came from a long line of performers who immigrated from Mexico at the turn of the 19th century and settled in San Antonio. Unlike other carpas, the Carpa Garcia is well documented thanks to their descendants.
Dr. Monica Brooks, Dean of University Libraries at Marshall University, gives a presentation on the history of the Carpa Garcia, and her mother, Amelia Garcia Brooks, recounts her memories of her family’s involvement.