The Franzini Family made their debut on April Fool’s Day 1978. Since that ironic beginning they have performed all over continental North America at numerous festivals and fairs including The First Canadian Mime Festival, Festival of American Mimes, Milwaukee Clown Festival, Spoleto Festival and the Ringling Medieval Festival. Among their many college credits are Northern Kentucky Univ., West Georgia College, Mississippi Univ., Florida Atlantic Univ., Univ. of South Florida and Emory University. The Franzini 1981 Pantomime and Circus Show appeared at 109 Air Force bases throughout the United States. With the U.S.O., they toured Germany, Korea, Philippines and Australia. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Thrill Circus featured the Franzini Sideshow at their St. Paul, Minnesota Riverfest in July of 1986. The Franzini Family was a featured act at the 1987 Circus Smirkus in Vermont and Lipi Franzini continued to help direct Circus Smirkus shows through their 1999 season. The Arts Council of Hillsborough County had been sponsoring the Franzini Family educational programs since 1983. At the 1989 Volvo World Cup in Tampa, The Franzinis performed for Princess Anne of England. In 1991, they were invited by the PETA organization to perform for a congressional reception in Washington, D.C.. The Franzini Family has performed throughout the state of Florida at corporate conventions, museums, schools and festivals, including 8 years at the Gainesville Renaissance Festival. The Franzinis delighted crowds at the 1994 and 1995 First Night Celebration in Tampa. In 1995, they received a Hillsborough County Grant to continue work on their Underwater Circus featuring juggling octopus, acrobatic starfish and other aquatic themed circus acts. The Franzini Family travel to Brazil in January of 1998 at the request of Johnson & Johnson Company to perform and instruct motivational juggling workshops.