Thunderbird Hall is Hosting a 2nd Hand Circus Featuring Circus Acts Using Thrifted & Secondhand Objects
Published on February 4, 2026
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, a different kind of love story is taking center stage in Fishtown—one rooted in creativity, sustainability, and the beauty of second chances.
2nd Hand Circus Scrap Night: Love Letters to Old Things lands at Thunderbird Hall (2856 Frankford Ave.) on Thursday, February 13, offering an inventive, heart-forward alternative to the usual Valentine’s fare. This one-night-only performance invites audiences to rethink romance through a sustainability lens, celebrating what already exists rather than chasing something new. Tickets are available at Tickettailor.com/events/2ndhandcircus/2005005
Scrap Night is a curated evening of short-form circus works created entirely from secondhand, thrifted, passed-down, or once-forgotten objects. Eight circus artists each receive—or bring—a pre-loved item and transform it into a completely original performance. Expect an eclectic mix of juggling, contortion, aerial work, fashion-forward experiments, and delightful moments of curiosity, all sparked by objects with a past life and a story to tell.
This Valentine’s-inspired edition of Scrap Night leans into the idea that sustainability itself is an act of love: loving what you already have, repairing instead of replacing, and choosing care, creativity, and reuse. It’s a reminder that affection doesn’t have to be flashy or disposable—it can be thoughtful, resourceful, and deeply human.
2nd Hand Circus, a new performance company grounded in sustainability-driven creativity, describes Scrap Night as both a playground and a laboratory. The concept challenges artists to think beyond the expected and create something meaningful from what’s been left behind—proving that innovation often starts with limitation.
The show takes place at Thunderbird Hall (2856 Frankford Ave., at E. Cambria Street)—note that this is not at Thunderbird Salvage. Doors open at 7:30 PM, with the performance beginning at 8:00 PM. Tickets range from $35 to $75 and include two drink tickets, with NOTAFLOF (No One Turned Away for Lack of Funds) options available at the door. A bar will be on site, along with food offerings.
Before or after the show, guests are encouraged to browse the 2nd Hand Circus Thrift Store and explore Thunderbird Hall’s legendary selection of estate items, surplus goods, tools, and $2-per-pound bins—making the entire evening a celebration of reuse, imagination, and rediscovery.
For those looking to spend Valentine’s Eve in a way that’s unexpected, meaningful, and genuinely Philly, Scrap Night offers a love letter to old things—and a future built from them.
