A CIRCUS extravaganza brought over 3,000 visitors to a Bangor arts and entertainment centre.

Pontio’s nine day circus feast event included shows, workshops and free performances, all on a circus theme.

The event ended on Friday, with a circus skills showcase in the arts centre's Studio by young people from the area.

The ‘Circus Futures’ event on Friday included Y Festri Syrcas i Blant and CircoPyro Youth Circus, as well as emerging circus performers CircoPyro and Grounded Circus Company.

The event celebrated skills and achievements from the growing youth circus scene focused around Pontio.

The activities also highlighted the youth circus pathway, which has led North Wales students from community circus classes to the acclaimed Circomedia Academy for Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre in Bristol, and to set up their own companies.

Thomasine Tomkins, director at CircoArts said, “A fantastic opportunity has been given to young emerging circus artists from North Wales.

"Many of the students have been influenced by the companies they’ve seen at Pontio: NoFit State, Pirates of the Carabina and Circolombia.”

Skills on displays during the showcase evening included juggling, hula hoop, hand balancing on chairs, double trapeze and much more.

Thomasine added, "I’m excited to have had the opportunity from Pontio to bring our youth circus to the stage for the very first time.

"We are from the community, homegrown and self-taught, but growing and going somewhere. Coming to Pontio makes it all very real for our kids... and makes dreams of 'running away with the circus' come true."

Elen ap Robert, Artistig Director at Pontio said: “It has been my dream to establish Pontio as a hub for contemporary circus here in North Wales.

"Our new state of the art centre, with the necessary height and rigging capacity, has helped make this possible.

"However this would never be enough on its own. A hub requires driven, dedicated staff who believe in the power of the arts to transform lives, and critically, a vibrant community culture with driven individuals who engage passionately with the opportunities on offer.

"Y Festri, Circo Pyro Youth Circus and fledgling companies performing as part of this event to conclude our third GwleddSYRCASFeast show us that circus can do this…change lives – and that from community procession to youth platform, the seeds of the future of circus are sown."