A circus location is a forum, arena, or other venue where either resident or traveling circuses are staged, involving a variety of tricks, stunts, wonders, and other such spectacles. Circus acts include clowns, acrobats, fire breathing, tightrope walking, trapeze acts, magic shows, psychic demonstrations, animal performances, and other such shows designed to evoke amazement.

The structural form of a circus is usually either a pavilion (if it's an open-air structure) or an indoor arena (if fully enclosed).

Both a resident circus and a traveling circus can establish the performance use. The venue accommodates a varied circus program without requiring every listed type of act.