Big Show: Community celebrates reading with fun entertainment

Big Show: Community celebrates reading with fun entertainment

Published 7:20 pm Friday, June 12, 2026

SALISBURY — It was a big show with an even bigger finish.

As part of the Rowan Public Library’s Big Show Series, Mark Lippard took the stage at the main branch on Fisher Street and concluded his performance with a ride on a giant unicycle which brought lots of cheering from the crowd.

Lippard of Denver performed his juggling and unicycle riding routine, interspersed with comedy, to the children and adults gathered on June 11 at the library, bringing to a close his four-days of performing at the four Rowan County branches.

He shared that his performances at the libraries have included a lot of audience participation, high-end juggling, some tall unicycles and that “the kids and families, all the staff, they’ve been absolutely wonderful to work with, and we’ve been having a ball.”

As the children arrived and found a seat to watch the show, Lippard made his way around the room and chatted with them. When it was time to officially start the show, he made his entrance using two unicycles, one to sit on and using the other as handlebars and after making several rounds, he dismounted and asked if they were ready to have some fun, to which they responded with a loud “yes.”

He turned on the song “Celebration,” picked up his clubs and began to juggle as the crowd clapped to the song and intently watched his routine.

When the song ended, Lippard asked them who wanted to learn to juggle and they again shouted a yes in response, which he said has been the case at all the library locations.

“They all want to learn it after they see it. Take a 10-year-old and show them some cool juggling tricks and a little fire eating, they go, I want to do that.”

He continued his performance by juggling balls and boxes and at one point, stood on a huge soccer ball and juggled tennis racquets with the help of Jago Mack, a youth from the audience.

When he asked for volunteers to help with another routine, many hands went up and Lippard selected several to assist in his plate spinning routine.

Fire eating and riding a tiny bike were also features of Lippard’s show before he climbed on a giant unicycle, rode a little while and juggled the clubs to conclude the performance, which was greeted with lots of applause.

Telling the children that his passion was unicycling, Lippard asked them if they had hobbies and showed them multiple books about the subject and how they provide information about learning to do tricks or how to build a unicycle. He then encouraged them to take time to look at the books in the library and find something they enjoy and that interests them.

Lippard said that he taught himself to ride a unicycle at the age of nine and now he has lots of unique unicycles and that he “never grew out of it and got into juggling and got addicted to it and just practiced hours and hours and hours at a time.”

In time, some friends he had met told him they were going on tour and invited him to join them. He told them he had a job with health insurance but he would pray about it. He said 10 seconds later he said, “I’m in.”

Lippard then went home and told his parents. His dad advised him to buy some health insurance, and that, he said, “believe it or not, was 40 years ago. So I’ve been doing it full time.”

When he and his wife married, Lippard said she took over the business and runs it while he is out performing at a wide range of locations including schools, colleges, festivals, corporate engagements, churches and sporting events and has been all over the country as far as north of Chicago to Florida.

“So every gig is a little different, but I’m very thankful to be here in Rowan County,” said Lippard.

He said they have children, ages 26 and 24, and while they do know how to juggle and unicycle, he said they have real jobs, and with a grin Lippard said, “maybe I’ll grow up one day.”