The Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Has Come to an End

He cited a variety of factors for the circus’ demise, including a decline in ticket sales, high operating costs and prolonged battles with animal rights groups.

The Ringling Brothers Circus last visited our area at the Mohegan Sun at the end of April 2016.

For more than a century, the Circus thrived, putting the small coastal town of Sarasota on the map thanks to John Ringling.

“This will be the last time The Greatest Show on Earth appears in Miami“.

“I just remember the excitement of it!” She said, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’d never take my daughter to the circus’. The combination of costs associated with running the circus and the lack of audience seems to have spelled the end for what had become an American institution. “Ringling Brothers held everything together”. Both the social and economic impact earned the city the title of “Circus Capital of the World”. This prevented the Ringlings from performing at NYC’s Madison Square Garden.

Owners of the circus stunned the young at heart this weekend by announcing its final shows will be in May. “I am the very first female ringmaster in 146 years”.

Former President of the Lehigh Valley Animal Rights Coalition Virginia Wolfe says the circus’ treatment of animals was unacceptable.

Amid cold temperatures and a chill wind, several hundred people turned out to watch the Ringling Bros.’ elephants and horses parade through the center of New Haven, Connecticut, on November 15, 1972. “Juliette Feld says the company will continue operating the Center for Elephant Conservation“.

“Ringling’s action is a signal to every other animal-based circus that their business model must change”, added Pacelle. Each production, like Circus Xtreme, takes millions of dollars. Some say they saw it coming. They tried to do something a little bit different and put the circus on ice. As long as they existed there was a chance for the smaller circuses to make a living. “Never”, said Gary Payne.

Barnum launched his traveling circus after fires destroyed his Barnum’s American Museum. The Feld family bought the Ringling circus in 1967.

Not everybody was enamored with what the circus or Ringling Brothers (whose full name includes, another legendary name, Barnum and Bailey) represented.

“I owe a lot to the circus – a lot of my lighting abilities, being able to fix things, being able to troubleshoot issues”, he said.

The Feld family is expected to address the media on Monday morning from their headquarters in Palmetto. Some 500 people perform and work on both touring shows. Some of them will remain with the company.