Considered “the greatest show on earth,” The Ringling Bros Circus was founded in 1884 by five brothers of the last name Ringling. The brothers were five of seven in the family, Albert Ringling, August Ringling, Otto Ringling, Alfred T. Ringling, Charles Ringling, John Ringling, and Henry Ringling. The Ringling Brothers started off small in 1884 under the name “Yankee Robinson and Ringling Brothers”, but their popularity grew quickly and by the late 1880′s they had established themselves as one of the nation’s largest circuses. John Ringling took the role of the advance man and Charles Ringling the manager. Their success as an act prominently came from their fair dealings with the public. Rather than short changing customers or allowing gambling games on their lots, the Ringling Bros made rules against that sort of play and made sure to be honest in their transactions and communication with customers. The brothers bought the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907 and ran the two as separate shows until 1919 when they finally merged them as one dominant act that is still around today, called the “Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus”.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is currently touring the country and will make stops in major cities like Philadelphia, Raleigh, Newark, Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Washington DC, Uniondale, Augusta, New York City, Fairfax, and more! Catch a live performance before the tour runs out at the end of March 2010. The chance to see this historical phenomenon is one that shouldn’t get passed up! Find your Ringling Bros tickets before too late.