Over the years, our extraordinary performers, innovative productions and dedication to the time-honoured traditions of the circus have earned us recognition from esteemed industry bodies and delighted audiences alike.
As well as multiple times being voted 'Britain's Best Circus' and 'Best Clown Act', these are some of our recognition highlights.
1982 Clown Car Act Award at British Outdoor Show Championships.
1991 Runners up in Golden Clown in Sicily.
1992 Clowns International's 'Clown of the Year' for Martin 'Zippo' Burton.
1993 Honoured by Clowns International for Services to Clowning.
1995 First place in the World Circus Festival, USA, for Martin 'Zippo' Burton and his clowns.
1996 Inducted into the 'Scroll of Honour' at the World Clown Convention in
recognition of Zippos Circus's work with hospitalised and underprivileged children.
1998 Martin became Honorary Vice President of Clowns International.
1999 Clowns International's 'Auguste Clown of the Year' for Martin 'Zippo' Burton
2001 Zippos Circus features traditional ringmaster Norman Barrett for the first time.
2001 Zippos Circus won the Circus Friends Association 'Best Circus with Animals in Britain'.
2002 Tom and Linda Roberts and the Zippos Circus horses had a Royal Command appearance at Windsor Great Park for 'All the Queens Horses' as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
2003 Zippos Circus become the first circus ever to erect a big top and perform on the lawns of Buckingham Palace at Queen Elizabeth II's coronation anniversary celebration garden party.
2003 Martin was named 'Showman of the Year' by the World’s Fair newspaper.
2003 Zippos Circus joined the Showmans Guild.
2004 Martin was appointed Chair of the Arts Council England circus group.
2004 Hollywood actor Paul Newman joined Zippos Circus at Highbury Fields for a Charity Spectacular where he appeared as Butch Bolognese in the clown gag.
2006 Martin and Zippos Circus awarded the 'Variety Artistes Centenary Award'.
2006 Zippos horses receive the 'Best Equestrian Act' award for a record sixth time.
2006 Martin was awarded the 'Melvin Jones Fellowship' by Lions Club International for his work with underprivileged children.
2009 Proposed and successfully lobbied for Zippos Circus Ringmaster Norman Barrett to receive MBE in the Queen's Honours list.
2015 Martin was elected Chairman of the Association of Circus Proprietors (ACP).
2015 Martin was a jury member for the International Circus Festival in Cuba.
2016 Martin was elected President of the world's oldest clown organisation, Clowns International.
2016 Martin was a jury member at the International Circus Festival in Albacete, Spain.
2019 Beau and Fips clowning slosh act won the 'Cirque Medrano Special Award' at the Monte Carlo Circus Festival.
2019 We celebrated Norman Barrett's 21st year with Zippos Circus.
2020 David Hibling’s 25th year with Zippos as Creative Director/Tour Coordinator.
2020 Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zippos Circus 2020 tour poster was not used. But the Victoria & Albert Museum added a poster to its collection as 'The Show That Never Was' to help highlight the impact of the pandemic on the arts.
2021 Martin was voted one of the ‘exceptional voices that made a difference to the future of performing arts’ in 'the Stage 100' – the 100 most important arts people in the UK in 2021 for work getting shows to reopen during the pandemic.
2023 Martin received the Circus Friends Association's Lifetime Achievement Award'.
2023 Zippos Circus achieved the 'Big Top Label' award from the European Parliament in Brussels.
