They call it the Circus Spectacular Nights, an annual partnership between neighborhood light show JZ Light Show and acrobatic troupe Aerial Butterflies. And each year at 3033 Pattiz Ave. in Long Beach, they put on a holiday spectacle like no other. Come this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, the aerial troupe will have its final bow with the JZ Light Show.
And as always, the show is entirely free.
How the JZ Light Show and Aerial Butterflies partnership came to be.
Founded by husbands Michael and David Johnson-Zargoza (or “JZ”, hence the name), who own the house at 3033 Pattiz Ave., the JZ Light Show has both an inspirational but grave origin story. Michael’s aunt, who passed of cancer, hung her Christmas lights once she discovered she had cancer. This light show honors her memory annually. (Well, now more than once a year: The crew has also begun doing a Halloween show.)
This year’s light show, dubbed “A Child’s Dream”—last year’s was “Cirque de Nöel”—will “bringing childhood dreams to life through light, music and wonder.” And come this weekend, will offer its last viewing version that includes the Aerial Butterflies, a circus troupe of performers that has been serving Long Beach for over a decade.
Aerial Butterflies has been a staple for the circus performing community for over a decade.
In 2010, Hallie Jane was performing at Sababa—which turned into Playa Amor and is now Watch Me! Sports Bar—as Aerial Butterflies (given the glorious amount of butterfly tattoos that cover her body).
Come 2013, Hallie became a parent—and with each moment of her time becoming occupied, the desire to return to the artform of aerial performing grew stronger. As with every artist, once she knew she could handle both parenting and her art, she bought an aerial rig that would allow her to dance in the sky. The only issue? That required insurance. And that meant performing once again on a professional level.
“I began meeting circus performers and they really didn’t know how to market themselves or their skills,” Hallie said. “So with that, I’ve gathered a group of professionals that really make our city a more beautiful place. We’ve performed for the convention center, at the aquarium, at city events, at private events… We were just at the It’s a Drag event. It’s been an honor, genuinely.”
While this is the last weekend to see the circus spectacular, JZ Light Show will run nightly through Jan. 3.
Don’t worry if you miss out on the circus spectacular—you can still see the light show nightly through Jan. 3 at 6:30PM and 7:40PM.
The JZ Light Show with Aerial Butterflies will have its last weekend of performances on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21 at 6:30PM and 7:40PM at 3033 Pattiz Ave. Bring your chair and blanket!
Michael and David of JZ Light Show are amazingly creative individuals who have put together a spectacular show! Shows sponsored by Erin Barry, neighborhood REALTOR, Coastal Homes Group of Seven Gables Real Estate.
Looks like a great light show! I’d love to check it out!