Yes, It's Coming Back, But . . .

Apparently there will be NO animals and NO clowns. So . . . .

When It's Oh Sooo Hard To Say Goodbye!

The Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia) Event Staff shared a moment with the clowns from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to say "thank you" and "farewell" on the arena floor today. 

Shows run through Monday, February 20 and tickets are on sale now at www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com.

The Greatest Show On Earth? Well, Here It Is!

Save 30% on tickets including lower level seats!*  Use password "30SMILE" to purchase! Act fast! Offer ends 2/4/2016 at 11:59 PM Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents LEGENDS - Prepare to witness circus feats you thought were so amazing that they would be impossible, and spectacles of strength so grand you once thought them to be unbelievable. Ringling Bros.® has combed the globe to find the most skilled circus masters for LEGENDS, be it the most majestic animals you've ever seen, the most exotic performers from faraway lands, or the most fearless daredevils that take danger to unheard of levels, this show has no equal anywhere. LEGENDS is going to take you on an adventure that will dazzle your senses, and redefine your sense of possibility! *Offer valid on the face price of tickets. No double discounts. Additional fees and restriction may apply. Expires 2/4/2016 at 11:59 PM. BUY TICKETS GROUP EVENTS MORE INFO

Ringling Circus To Eliminate Elephants By 2018

The Feld Family, owners of Feld Entertainment, Inc., the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, announced plans today to remove Asian elephants from their traveling circus performances. Under the plan, 13 elephants currently traveling with the three Ringling Bros. circus units will be relocated to the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant for Conservation® in Florida by 2018. There they will join the rest of the Ringling Bros. herd of more than 40 elephants.

The Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation is already home to the largest herd of Asian elephants and the most successful breeding program for this endangered species in the Western Hemisphere. The circus will continue to feature other extraordinary animal performers, including tigers, lions, horses, dogs and camels.

This unprecedented change in the 145-year old Greatest Show On Earth®will allow the company to focus on its Asian elephant conservation programs, both here in North America and through its partnership with the island nation of Sri Lanka. The company will also continue to collaborate with other conservation organizations working to preserve this magnificent species for future generations. For example, the company has placed elephants at eight zoos, either on loan or through donations, and will continue to support the Smithsonian Institution’s research lab working to find a cure for diseases that impact juvenile elephants.

“This is the most significant change we have made since we founded the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation in 1995. When we did so, we knew we would play a critical role in saving the endangered Asian elephant for future generations, given how few Asian elephants are left in the wild,” said Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment. “Since then, we have had 26 elephant births. No other institution has done or is doing more to save this species from extinction, and that is something of which I and my family are extremely proud. This decision was not easy, but it is in the best interest of our company, our elephants and our customers,” he added.

“Our family has been the proud steward of the American institution that is Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and our elephants, for 45 years. It is a legacy that we hold near and dear to our hearts, and as producers of The Greatest Show On Earth, we feel we have a responsibility to preserve the esteemed traditions that everyone expects from a Ringling Bros. performance while striving to keep the show fresh and contemporary for today’s families,” said Nicole Feld and Alana Feld, Ringling Bros. producers and Executive Vice Presidents with Feld Entertainment. “As the circus evolves, we can maintain our focus on elephant conservation while allowing our business to continue to meet shifting consumer preferences,” they added.

Additional information on Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation can be found online at www.ringling.com and www.elephantcenter.com.

About Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 75 countries and on six continents to date and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Nuclear Cowboyz®, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice Presented by StonyfieldYoKids Organic Yogurt, Disney Live! Presented by StonyfieldYoKids Organic Yogurt and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information about Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

Yo, Philly: The Circus Is Comin To Town 2/13 - 2/17

Experience an all-access look at what it takes to construct The Greatest Show On Earth® with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s all-new show Built To Amaze! coming to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia from Wednesday, February 13 through Sunday, February 17.

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents Built To Amaze! at the Wells Fargo Center are available exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office.

The foundation is set and the rising anticipation of high-energy, high-jinx and hilarity is ready to be transported by colorful circus machinery and unleashed from shipping crates right before the audience’s eyes.

Andre McClain, Ringmaster and America’s favorite cowboy takes the Ringling Bros. reins and accompanied by his horse Comanche, leads his Built To Amaze! funny and mischievous super circus supervisors, to construct The Greatest Show On Earth. A fantastic design with more than 110 of the world’s best performers representing 17 countries along with 95 exotic and domestic animals will be assembled, creating never-before-seen heart pounding performances. Ringling Bros. is thrilled to introduce nine-time international award winning comedic animal presenting duo Alex and Irina Emelin of Russia. Also new toRingling Bros. is the Tower Tumblers, a troupe of competitive aerial athletes from the Ukraine who launch themselves from trampolines to scale, repel and pass through a three-story high translucent tower.Ringling Bros. brings a spirited and fiery competition of basketball with the next generation of whirling unicyclists, the legendary King Charles Troupe hailing from New York City!

You can only experience this design of excitement at Ringling Bros. Built To Amaze! Get your tickets for super circus fun today!

Built To Amaze! opens with the All-Access Pre-show where everyone is invited to join the fun and meet the Built To Amaze! international cast of performers as they prepare for the show. The Ringling Bros.®Ringling Girls and Barnum B-Boys encourage kids to participate in a tug-of- war and kick off what will soon become an insane battle of girl power versus boy power in Built To Amaze! Audiences also can pick up some hip dance moves during the dance party, try on custom designed costumes, learn circus skills like juggling from the famous Ringling Bros. Clown Alley and even have the opportunity to witness and win a one of a kind masterpiece created by Asia, Ringling Bros. very own painting pachyderm!

For more information, visit www.Ringling.com or visit us on Facebook.

About Feld Entertainment: Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the home arena for both the Flyers and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, the Wells Fargo Center, and four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; FanOne, a digital fan marketing company; and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue enablement, ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions.

Ringling Clowns Teach Kids Health, Fitness

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ® clown duo of Mike and Rob are clowning-around and providing afternoon amusement this morning while teaching important lessons to children and families at the Philadelphia Free Library in advance of the newestRingling Bros.® show, DRAGONS.
The Clowns are teaching the children about CircusFit®, a new national youth fitness program targeted to kids grades two through five. By combining circus skills with stretching, strength building and aerobic exercise, the children are learning how to lead healthy, active lifestyles – and have fun while doing it.
The Library offers one of the country's most extensive collections - more than 6 million items, ranging from books and magazines to art, music, film, and other media. In addition, the richness and depth of their special collections is one of the finest in Philadelphia.
Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS at the Wells Fargo Center from Thursday, February 22 through Monday, February 27 are available exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office. Join the free Wells Fargo Center CyberClub and receive advance notice and special offers to future events at wellsfargocenterphilly.com.

Photos: Breathtaking Ringling Estate & Museums

One of the real joys of our recent trip to Sarasota was our visit to the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art, the Ringling mansion and the Circus Museum all contained within the spacious Ringling estate featuring a 27,225 sq. ft. rose garden complete with 1,200 plantings and surrounding grounds and gardens that are treated and cherished as works of art -- and they have never looked better. You can stroll the grounds and enjoy the Rose Garden, Mable’s Secret Garden, the Dwarf Garden, Millennium Tree Trail and other delights of this breathtaking estate by the bay.
The Circus Museum will delight young and old alike and the Museum of Art is loaded with priceless treasures. Plan to spend the entire day -- or more!
Click here for more info.
Photos copyright 2012 by Dan Cirucci.

Death Defying Acts As Circus Comes To Philly, 2/22 - 27

Shaolin Warriors from China will perform 1600-year old death-defying Kung Fu Martial Arts in the newest addition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS coming to the Wells Fargo Center from Thursday, February 22 through Sunday, February 27.

These unbelievable and legendary Warriors will perform truly unique acts that include twisting eight foot long metal rods, breaking six foot long wooden poles in one strike, and being lifted seven feet in the air on the points of five handheld spears.

Circus performers from the farthest reaches of the earth, including the Shaolin Warriors, have assembled for DRAGONS to showcase their astounding acts of bravery and amazing athleticism. Ringling Bros.® Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson presides over this fantastical celebratory tournament of circus champions that brings together mystic dragon lore with authentic circus.

The anticipation builds throughout Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS as Children Of All Ages bear witness to one phenomenal Ringling Bros. circus act after another, from Cossack riders, to magnificent Asian elephants, fierce tigers and to the frenzied Globe of Steel. As the audience observes these and even more real world displays that pay tribute to the dragon, their continued excitement will bring glimpses of the elusive beast. But, the big question remains; what will it take to lure a true dragon from its golden lair?

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents DRAGONS at the Wells Fargo Center are available exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office. Join the free Wells Fargo Center CyberClub and receive advance notice and special offers to future events at wellsfargocenterphilly.com.

Ringling Bros. Presents DRAGONS opens an hour before with the All Access Pre-show available and FREE to all ticket holders. Families can join Pre-show Host Andre McClain and participate in interactive experiences such as learning juggling and balancing skills, get performer autographs, see one of Ringling Bros. majestic Asian elephant’s paint a one-of-a-kind masterpiece and meet the Ringling Bros. Clowns, whose side-splitting spoofs, absurd antics and comical parody are guaranteed to keep audiences roaring with laughter!

For more information, visit www.Ringling.com or visit us on Facebook.

About Feld Entertainment: Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!

Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the home arena for both the Flyers and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, the Wells Fargo Center, and four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 100 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; FanOne, a digital fan marketing company; and Paciolan, the leading provider of venue enablement, ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions.

Rubens, El Greco And The Circus? They're All Here

Where can you find the work of an art master like Rubens and the world's largest miniature circus? Where can you find paintings by van Dyck and El Greco and Buffalo Bill's whip, gloves and other belongings? And what is the one place that displays the actual rooms from John Jacob Astor's Manhattan mansion along with an elaborate calliope?
There is only one place that combines all this within an estate of more than 60 acres including a dramatic waterfront promenade, nuemrous banyan trees and an elaborate rose garden with more than 1,200 plantings.
It's the John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art and Estate in Sarasota, Florida. We visisted The Ringling yesterday and found it to be a total delight. Here, you can spend an entire day (or several days) amidst a world of natural and created beauty with a dash of whimsy and childhood dreams and memories.
John Ringling, one of the five original circus kings of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, was blessed with entrepreneurial genius and through his success with the circus and other investments, became quite wealthy. In 1911, John (1866-1936) and his wife, Mable (1875-1929) purchased 20 acres of waterfront property in Sarasota, Florida.   In 1912 the couple began spending winters in Sarasota and later decided to build a home there. Their property included a house built by one of Buffalo Bill’s circus managers, Charles Thompson. The Ringlings dreamed of helping Sarasota develop into a metropolitan boom town and they became involved in the community, bought real estate, and eventually owned approximately 25 percent of Sarasota’s total area.
The couple’s first project in Sarasota was the splendid Venetian Gothic mansion Cà d’Zan, built between 1924 and 1926 for a then staggering sum of $1.5 million.  Mable had developed an affection for Venetian buildings on their travels and collected sketches and photos to incorporate into the design of the house which reflects both her and John’s taste and passion for opulence. She supervised the construction of the house with architect Dwight James Baum, designer of several New York mansions.
But the mansion is only one of the splendid properties that you can now visit and enjoy.
The Ringling Museum of Art is a world-class art gallery and the Ringling Circus Museum is a joy to behold. On top of all this, the grounds are lush and magical.
Well, since we enjoy art, the circus and flora and fauna in almost equal measure, The Ringling gave us more pleasure than we can calculate.
As we tell you more about Sarasota during our visit here we will be talking about the Ringlings again -- and in later posts we will have more photos to show.
For now, though let's simply say that we highly recommend you put this attraction on your list of "must see" travel experiences. It's a knockout.

Still The Greatest!

The political circus left town earlier this week but The Greatest Show On Earth is still in Philadelphia at the Wachovia Spectrum with final performances on Saturday (4/26) and Sunday (4/27).
If you haven't been to this "Over The Top" edition of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus this year hurry on over for the magic, daring and spectacle of the Big Top. I've just returned and not only do I finally feel like spring is in the air but I'm a kid again. The entire show is delightful: whimsical, engaging, thrilling, and colorful with edge-of-your-set action and old-fashioned laughs.
This touring version of the circus seems a bit more intimate (with its one main ring) than its sister edition which tours simultaneously but with completely different acts. But anyway you look at it the circus provides plenty of value for your entertainment dollar.
There are performances on Saturday at 11, 3 and 7 and then again on Sunday at 1 and 5and tickets can be purchased on site or online.
And, if you miss the circus now, don't fret. You can still see it at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton where it will perform 10 shows from May 10 through the 14th. You can order tickets for the Trenton engagement through comcasttix.com.
BTW: Kudos to our friends Ike Richman, Eric Nemeth and everyone at Comcast Spectacor for doing such a great job of promoting the circus every year.