Watching someone get shot out of a cannon's got to be a blast!

HIGH-FLYING EXCITEMENT: Clockwise top left, the Globe of Death, a circus aerialist and clown fun under the big top. (Courtesy photos)

A circus three generations in the making will stake their big top at the Lilac Mall this weekend for three days of family fun.

The Great Benjamin's Circus visits some 160 communities a year and it provides circus fun at its finest, said Louis Leonard, a Benjamin's Circus management consultant. "We are a nonanimal circus that specializes in thrill shows for our features acts."

Among the top attractions are the Cannon Man, who is shot out of a cannon, the Globe of Death, in which a motorcyclist rides up and down the inside a see-through sphere; and the Wheel of Death, in which a performer stands atop a spinning wheel high in the air.

"We also have acrobats, jugglers, clowns and even a contortionist," Leonard added.

The circus bills itself as a "sincere circus experience," that is "much more than an entertainment organization."

"We present ourselves as being a symbol of respect and education towards all cultures," their website reads. "We are an ambassador of multiculturalism and have a great appreciation for performance art."

"It's all about family, family entertainment to be shared with parents, grandparents and kids," said Leonard, who added the shows run about an hour and a half and special advance ticket pricing is available on their website. which can be found here.

The show, which had originally been scheduled to be held at The Ridge, was moved to the Lilac Mall last month.

They are currently on a four-day run in Lewiston, Maine.