The Newman Catholic Student Center, 512 Normal Road, Dekalb, will be sponsoring the “Ben and Jerry’s Traveling Circus” for two showings at 4 and 7p.m. today as part of the center’s get acquainted night.

“It’ll be a wonderful time for a lot of folks,” said Rev. Stephen Potter.

For several years past, the Newman Catholic Student Center has sponsored a “get acquainted night” in conjunction with NIU’s Welcome Back Week. Besides providing students a chance to meet new people it also encourages students to become familiar with the non-profit, religious organization.

Laura Bird, pastoral associate at the Newman Center, gives credit for the idea to Anne Leblanc, Catholic campus minister, describing the event as her “brainchild”.

The idea for the show was conceived as she was driving down a Chicago street and a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlor grabbed her attention. Thus, her idea was born.

“The tour goes nationally and this week it is in the Northern Illinois area,” Potter said. The show is expected to have a few hundred people in attendance. Crowd control is being handled by the center’s student leadership committee.

Those at the Newman Center said they believe that the circus will attract not only NIU students but families and people of all ages.

The Ben and Jerry’s Traveling Circus will be arriving in DeKalb today.

“An ice cream ‘scoop truck’ will be following the huge yellow and brown spotted Trailway bus,” Potter noted. The show is self-contained on the tour bus with a sliding stage that extends itself from underneath the bus.

If you enjoy the regular circus ingredients: acrobats, jugglers, mimes and music, you should also find the free ice cream a treat. When asked what flavors of ice cream are to be served, Potter jokingly replied, “more than vanilla!”

The Newman Catholic Student Center holds its services Sundays at 10 and 11:30a.m., and 9:30p.m.