BANGOR – A slew of new performers, including a flock of one-of-a-kind trained geese and a troupe of Mongolian contortionists, highlights this year’s Anah Temple Shrine Circus, which began Friday at the Bangor Auditorium and will continue this weekend.

Shrine circuses – which raise funds for Shriners’ hospitals and clinics for handicapped and burned children – are a yearly event at the Bangor Auditorium.

This year’s event features all but one new act and will include the flock of trained fowl under the direction of Olga Rogacheeva, who is from Russia.

Other acts will include Nellie Hanneford’s performing horses, an aerial performance, jugglers, the ever-popular Anah Shrine Clowns and the Yagaansetseg Duo contortionists from Mongolia.

“That looks as though it’s going to be an excellent act,” circus director Don Gordon said Friday.

And it wouldn’t be the Shrine Circus without the elephants, which Gordon said is the only returning act to the area this year.

Gordon said he expects this year’s attendance to be on par with last year’s, which totaled about 32,000 over three days. But, he said, attendance all depends on the weather.

“We usually prefer it to be a little gray and misty,” he said. More people are likely to show up if the weather is less than perfect, the director said.

As usual, area fifth-graders will be given free passes to the circus, but Gordon said that due to budgetary concerns, fewer schools are busing pupils to the event. He said most of the fifth-graders will attend during one of today’s shows.

Operation Community Support is offering free tickets to direct dependents of deployed soldiers and recently returned soldiers. For tickets, military families should call their Family Assistance Centers around the state.

Gordon said he doesn’t have a projection as to how much money the event will raise, but as always, the Shriners are aiming high. “We always try to look at it optimistically,” he said.

Show times are 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday.

The circus will head to Presque Isle later next week, with shows at 1 and 7 p.m. Thursday, May 6; 3 and 7 p.m. Friday, May 7; and 10 a.m., 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Presque Isle Forum.

Admission at both venues is $3 for children and $6 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the Anah Shrine Temple, at the door or at certain area businesses.

For a list of ticket outlets and information, go to www.anahshriners.com.

For information about Operation Community Support, call 1-888-365-9287.