Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey

It’s a Barnum & Bailey world
Just as phony as it can get
But it wouldn’t be make-believe
If you believed in me!

So go the lyrics to “Paper Moon,” a song first written in 1932 that was later immortalized by the great Nat King Cole. Barnum & Bailey would have already long been a household name to audiences of the time, as the Barnum & Bailey Circus, often billed as The Greatest Show on Earth, had existed in some form since 1871 until it was purchased by the Ringling Bros. circus company. The two became a single circus known as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919 and continued operating until 2017. Many thought that the Circus might have closed its curtains permanently when the company took a break from 2017-2022 to readjust its acts to better align with the sensibilities of modern audiences (removing animal performances, for example). However, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus roared back into life in 2023, recruiting performers from all over the world to thrill audiences with the dazzling feats of artistry and athleticism.