There are shows you attend—and then there are shows you enter. When Mr. Swindle’s Traveling Peculiarium & Drink-Ory Garden® returns to Palm Beach County this winter, it’s not merely staging a performance. It’s reopening a portal.
From February 12–22 beneath the Big Top at Mizner Park, and February 26–March 22 at Carlin Park, the ever-mischievous Mr. B.S. Swindler invites adults 18 and over to suspend decorum, sharpen their sense of humor, and surrender—cheerfully—to ninety minutes of beautifully controlled chaos.
This is not circus as you remember it. It’s circus with a raised eyebrow.
The 2026 season arrives wrapped in elegance and intention, beginning with a brand-new, custom-crafted Big Top. Dressed in refined grey-and-crème stripes with burgundy trim, the tent feels less roadside spectacle and more secret salon—complete with cushioned seating, full climate control, and just enough old-world theatricality to make you feel you’ve stumbled into something you were never meant to find.
“Only the finest for the posteriors of my lavish guests,” Mr. Swindle quips, a line delivered with impeccable timing and the faint suggestion that he knows more about you than he should.
Arrive early. You’ll want the hour.
Before the show proper begins, guests are ushered into Dr. Elixir’s Drink-Ory Garden, a pre-performance playground where cocktails, brews, and small bites blur the line between refreshment and ritual. It’s here—glass in hand—that the evening’s tone is set: playful, indulgent, and slightly off-kilter. Conversation loosens. Expectations dissolve. The swindling begins quietly.
Once inside the tent, the spectacle unfolds in expertly choreographed waves. The 2026 cast introduces all-new acrobatic acts alongside delightfully twisted comedy, anchored by the return of a fan favorite that has achieved near-mythical status among regulars: the legendary banana act. Performed by international comedic duo Jonathan and Anne, it is exactly as absurd—and as unforgettable—as its reputation suggests.
This season also welcomes a new incarnation of Dr. Elixir, portrayed by the incomparable Frank Ferrante. A master emcee with the timing of a Catskills comic and the instincts of a vaudeville ringmaster, Ferrante thrives on audience energy, weaving improv into the fabric of each performance. No two nights are quite the same, and that unpredictability is very much the point.
“This season marks the ninth year since our debut in 2018,” says co-producer Ivan España. “Each year we’re humbled by the guests who return again and again. Our goal is always the same: create something fresh, surprising, and genuinely joyful. Watching the energy spill out of the tent night after night never gets old.”
There’s another reason the Peculiarium has inspired such loyalty. Beneath the mischief beats a generous heart. Since its debut, the production has raised more than $150,000 for local organizations—proof that even the most gleeful tricksters can have a philanthropic streak.
Swindler or Robin Hood? The answer, as always, is delightfully unclear.
What is clear is this: in a cultural landscape crowded with predictable entertainment, Mr. Swindle’s Peculiarium remains a rare thing—an experience that feels both meticulously crafted and joyfully out of control. You won’t just watch it. You’ll feel complicit in it.
And you’ll probably come back next year.
EVENT DETAILS
Boca Raton: February 12–22, 2026
Under the Big Top at Mizner Park, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL
Jupiter: February 26–March 22, 2026
Under the Big Top at Carlin Park, 750 S. A1A Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, Jupiter, FL
Tickets: Starting at $55 (discounts available for guests 65+)
Tickets & Showtimes: www.MrSwindles.com
Group Sales: [email protected] | 941-445-7309
Age Requirement: 18+
