A local mainstay is celebrating 50 years entertaining and giving back to the community.

The Jamil Shrine Center, located in Columbia off St. Andrews Road at 206 Jamil Rd., marks the occasion this weekend with an event that it has hosted annually throughout that half-century — the Royal Hanneford Circus.

“This circus is our fundraiser,” said Ed Sempson, the Jamil Shrine Center’s Potentate, explaining that proceeds from the event go toward operation funds for the Shriners Children’s hospital in Greenville.

“Kids go for free and parents travel for free of charge. They go to the [hospital] with the best care for what they need or the expertise they need.”

Whether the children in need go to the Greenville hospital or another one more suitable for their needs is decided by the family and Shriners. 

It’s free because of the fundraisers and donations and whatever support comes through to the Shrine Center, Simpson said.

 “We don’t ask or tell the families how much it costs. We just do it,” he added.

According to the Shriners Children’s Greenville hospital website, it provides pediatric care for a variety of cases. Its most utilized specialties include burn care, rheumatology, scoliosis, spine care, orthopedics and pediatric rehabilitation, therapy and surgery, among many other ways they care for children. 

The Jamil Shrine Center has about 950 members, Simpson said of the nonprofit organization. It can take about three months to become a Master Mason and then once that happens the person can become a Shriner. He said they want to ensure they have good people in the center making a difference for the kids.

The center hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including various conventions, markets and more.

The Royal Hanneford Circus has been active much longer than the 50 years it’s been visiting the Jamil Shriners, with a history that stretches back three centuries.

“This is a family owned circus,” Simpson said. “They do a lot of traveling and performing from town to town. They’ve survived because they contract the animals in from around the country. They go somewhere every other week until November, then start again in January of next year.”

Simpson said the event includes pony rides, elephant rides, horses and an array of activities. There’s plenty of acrobatics, clowns and performances for everyone.