The organization was founded in 1994 by Dan and Betty Butler, and offers circus arts training to young people ranging from 3 to 21 years old.

Emulating the style of Cirque du Soleil, Circus Juventas's first show was at Saint Paul's Highland Fest in 1995.

From there, the school's enrollment quickly expanded and the organization initiated a campaign to fund a $2.1 million permanent big top facility, which opened in 2001 on Saint Paul parkland in the Highland Park neighborhood.

These shows have proven popular with local audiences and have been well received critically, with reviewers praising the professionalism and fearlessness exhibited in the productions, while noting students' occasional missteps during performances.

"[4] The Butlers founded Circus Juventas as a nonprofit corporation in October 1994,[5][6] citing a desire to give back to the community as one of the reasons for its creation.

[2] The newly opened Hillcrest Recreation Center in Saint Paul provided the couple with inspiration for the circus program, and they asked the city if they could hold classes there.

[7] The Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department approved the program, and assumed liability for approximately fifty children who enrolled the first year.

[2] The $1.6 million were raised in full by the end of April 2000, just in time to ensure the circus received its STAR funding which would have been nullified if the Butlers had not made their fundraising goal by May 5 of that year.

"[14] The school relies heavily on parent volunteers to help with various operational aspects, from rigging to administrative work to set construction and decoration,[15] and concessions sales.

[28] The firm connected texteline fabric (often used for awnings) to the system of catwalks and supports to help "the lobby act...as an immersion tank, rather than a threshold, to introduce spectators to the illusion of the world of circus.

"[29] Although Locus was still installing the fabric within hours of the circus's gala opening,[29] the company won one of the 10 honor awards distributed in 2002 by the Minnesota branch of the American Institute of Architects for their design.

[a] Students have also participated non-Juventas shows, including a 2004 Minnesota Fringe Festival production,[87] the 2005 world premiere of Tin Forest with the Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall,[88] the Children's Theatre Company's 2008 stage adaptation of Madeline and the Gypsies,[89] and the 2012 adaptation of Jack Prelutsky's The Dragons Are Singing Tonight at The Southern Theater.

[54] In 2005, the Butlers discovered Ostroushko's affinity for the mandolin and fiddle, and asked if he would play a Celtic song at the premiere of their upcoming summer big top show, Dyrnwych.

[54] He happily agreed, having expressed a lifelong dream of joining a circus, and played the track, "See It There/Con Cassidy's", not only at Dyrnwych's opening but also at each of its subsequent 18 performances.

[54] The following year, he composed original music for the 2006 Juventas show, Pazzanni, and expanded his band to five members, including himself on mandolin, fiddle, and mandocello, Marc Anderson on percussion, Dan Chouinard on piano, accordion, and keyboard, Dirk Freymuth on electric and acoustic guitars, and Joel Sayles on electric and acoustic bass guitars.

[97] Tracks from the first four shows for which he played, from Dyrnwych to RavensManor, are anthologized on the album Peter Joins the Circus, published by Borderland Productions in 2008.

"[98] Writing for Minnesota Monthly, Amanda Bankston commended the technical skill and professionalism of the performers in 2012's Showdown: "There is nothing child-like about the talent in this show.

"[22] Susannah Schouweiler of Knight Arts wrote, "at two hours and 45 minutes, plus a 20-minute intermission, [Grimm's] run time is an awfully long haul for the smallest circus-goers.

"[38] Critics have also commented on the occasional misstep in a performance; Rohan Preston noted in his review of Grimm that "there are moments – just a few stand out – when you realize that these are students, after all, in a celebrated after-school program.