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| Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows | |
|---|---|
 Poster for Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows, ca. 1899 The Ringling brothers are depicted in the upper left corner | |
| Origin | |
| Country | United States |
| Founder(s) | Five of the Ringling brothers |
| Year founded | 1884 |
| Information | |
| Operator(s) | Ringling Bros. |
| Fate | Merged with Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth in 1919, as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus |
| Traveling show? | Yes |
| Circus tent? | Yes |
| Website | https://www.ringling.com |
Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows is a circus founded in Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling brothers: Albert, August, Otto, Alfred T., Charles, John, and Henry. The Ringling brothers were sons of a German immigrant, August Frederick Rüngeling, who changed his name to Ringling once he settled in America. Four brothers were born in McGregor, Iowa: Alf T., Charles, John and Henry. The Ringling family lived in McGregor, Iowa, for twelve years, from 1860 until 1872. The family then lived in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and moved to Baraboo, Wisconsin, in 1875. In 1907 Ringling Bros. acquired the Barnum & Bailey Circus, merging them in 1919 to become Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, promoted as The Greatest Show on Earth.[1] Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey closed on May 21, 2017, following weakening attendance and high operating costs.[2]
On Wednesday, May 18, 2022, the company announced that it will officially return, with its first show on Sept. 28, 2023, and a tour of more than 50 cities, but without any animals. [3]
- ^ Wisconsin Historical Society. Ringling Brothers: The Beginnings of the 'Greatest Show on Earth
- ^ Graham, Bryan Armen (22 May 2017). "'Sanctuary of joy': performers and crowds bid farewell to Ringling Bros circus". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
- ^ "'Ringling Circus Is Returning. Lions, Tigers and Dumbo Are Not". 18 May 2022.