Since the 1800’s the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus has wowed audiences across America. The two joined forces in 1919 as one and for nearly 100 more years continued their traveling circus.

In 1967, the circus was bought by what is now Feld Entertainment.

On Saturday, the company, which also manages Monster Jam and Disney on Ice announce the end of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus this spring.

“After much evaluation and deliberation, my family and I have made the difficult business decision that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will hold its final performances in May of this year,” Ken Feld said. “Ringling Bros. ticket sales have been declining, but following the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop. This, coupled with high operating costs, made the circus an unsustainable business for the company.”

“Nearly 50 years ago, my father founded our company with the acquisition of Ringling Bros. The circus and its people have continually been a source of inspiration and joy to my family and me, which is why this was such a tough business decision to make,” he added. “The decision was even more difficult because of the amazing fans that have become part of our extended circus family over the years, and we are extremely grateful to the millions of families who have made Ringling Bros. part of their lives for generations. We know Ringling Bros. isn’t only our family business, but also your family tradition.”

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