It was a different family circus show that visited Riverbank this past weekend, but it was the same kind of show.

The Walter Brothers Circus set up its tent in the same place, on the south side of Patterson Road, across from the Galaxy Theatres and Cool Hand Lukes, and they had the same one-ring set up as those which have come through town in the past.

Most recently, American Crown Circus, also known as Circo Osorio, came here regularly to perform, but Walter Brothers Circus did not disappoint.

Proceeds from tickets to the circus performances are split with the city Parks and Recreation Department. The rec department uses those funds to provide scholarships to needy youth so that they can participate in their programs during the year.

As the previous circus has done, Walter Brothers squeezed seven performances into five days, with matinees on both Saturday and Sunday, along with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday through Monday.

Along with the usual clowns, acrobats, jugglers and the like, the big finale included not two but three motorcycles whirring around inside a large ball made up of steel straps, braced on the ground and still attached to its trailer.

There was a tilt-roller balancing act, acrobats, a knife-throwing, a trapeze artist and lots of other between-act tomfoolery. A high wire artist successfully pulled off a back flip on the wire, as well as an impressive back flip dismount which he planted from the wire to the stage.

Recreation department officials said that Circo Osorio had a scheduling conflict this year, so a replacement was found.

The small, one-ring traveling family circuses seem to still be doing well despite the disappearance of the Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey Circus, which closed after a long history. The smaller shows focus more on the human performers as opposed to animal acts.