Then head on down to tonight's fundraising performance by the Great Moscow Circus ? the first of many shows to be held until February 20.

All the money raised from tonight's performance ? which will cost $25 per ticket ? will go towards the cost of building the statue.

The venue had been changed from Cross Park to the paddock between the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre and the Tamworth Sports Dome because of all the rain, the circus's general manager, Greg Hall, said.

"We were worried about the rain last week so we started looking for alternative sites, just in case," Mr Hall said.

He promises this show, which features members of the Moscow Circus and guest performers like the Human Cannonball, will "knock your socks off". The 19 acts include a double Russian swing (trapeze), trampoline act which incorporates a wall, magic shows and the infamous Globe of Death (motorcyclists riding inside a metal globe).

"We never let you relax," Mr Hall said.

There aren't many animals in these modern times.

"The only animals we've got are miniature horses ? the days of the Russian brown bears and Siberian tigers are long gone," he said.

"Now you are seeing the edge of what human beings do."

This is the fifth time the Great Moscow Circus has toured regional Australia since 1990 ? and Mr Hall said they hoped to visit 80 cities this time around.

The fourth tour, which went from September 2008 to December 2011, visited 81 cities, travelled 71,000km and packed in 833,000 people.

"Such was the strength of that last regional tour that we decided not to wait another three years ? we'd start the fifth tour right now," Mr Hall said.

The circus will perform on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7.30pm, except for tonight's fundraiser, which starts at 7pm.

There are three shows on Saturdays and two on Sunday, with the last day on Sunday, February 19.