The red nose is rarely just a prop. For Mimi Shaw, a 73-year-old dynamo who has spent decades orchestrating joy in Tallahassee, the greasepaint and oversized shoes were always more than a costume—they were an inheritance. For years, she navigated the professional world of performance, wondering why the urge to step into the spotlight felt less like a choice and more like a biological imperative. It wasn't until she dove into the archival history of the American carnival that she realized her theatrical instincts weren't just personal quirks, but echoes of a family legacy that once commanded the attention of the entire country.
A Legacy Written in Greasepaint
Shaw’s journey began with a simple gesture: a clown costume mailed in a box by her father. A graduate of Florida State University with a BFA in Theater Arts, Shaw initially pivoted to teaching, but the pull of the performance world remained persistent. She founded Klown Kapers Inc., the first professional entertainment business in Tallahassee, eventually evolving into BJ’s Party House. Over the next 44 years, the organization expanded from a singular vision into a mobile force of 53 performers, spanning everything from stilt walkers and fire breathers to magicians and balloon artists.
The business became a family affair, with Shaw’s daughter, Julie Godwin, growing up under the same big-top spirit that defined her mother’s career. As they built their reputation across corporate events and festivals, both women wrestled with the same question: Why the clowning? Why the constant need to inhabit the "pagliacci" tradition of the Italian Commedia dell’ Arte?
Uncovering the Carnival King
The answer arrived when Shaw joined the Showman’s League of America, an organization founded in 1913 by Buffalo Bill Cody to support outdoor amusement professionals. While pouring over the league’s records, she discovered that her great-uncle, Sam Solomon, was not just a relative, but a titan of the industry. Solomon had served as the league’s 1945 past president and was the legendary owner of Sol’s Liberty Shows.
Operating between 1919 and 1945, Sol’s Liberty Shows stood as the largest traveling carnival in the United States. It was a massive operation that required immense logistical coordination, moving 250 performers, lions, tigers, elephants, and even a pet baby gorilla across the country by truck and rail. Solomon’s influence was so vast that he eventually merged his enterprise with carnival giant Carl Sedlmayr, keeping the show on the road until 1979. Shaw’s realization that she was a direct descendant of the man who ran the country’s most expansive traveling circus provided a profound sense of closure to her own creative identity.
The Future of the Family Business
This revelation has transformed the way Shaw and Godwin view their work at BJ’s Party House, which has been operating in Tallahassee since 1983. They are no longer just business owners; they are curators of a century-long lineage of American entertainment. The discovery of a shared history has solidified their commitment to the craft, proving that the siren call of the midway is a powerful, multigenerational force.
The dynasty shows no signs of slowing down. With a new generation already showing interest in the business, the family is currently focused on the logistical demands of upcoming engagements, ranging from local festivals to major athletic events like the World Cross Country event and Springtime Tallahassee. The next reading of their performance schedule will indicate the strength of this enduring family brand, as they continue to balance the weight of their circus heritage with the modern demands of professional entertainment. For more on their current operations, visit bjspartyhouse.com.
