Entertainment
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show On Earth returns to Southern California
The legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey – Greatest Show On Earth show is returning to Southern California this summer.
Feld Entertainment, the worldwide leader in live entertainment experiences, announced that the famous show for “Children of All Ages” will kick off its three-city tour on August 9 at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show On Earth is described as an immersive, live, family entertainment experience unlike anything audiences have ever seen, filled with incredible acts that push the limits of human potential.
This reimagined American Icon will surprise families as they come together to witness a fast-paced, action-packed production with modernized acts on a scale never seen before, creating real connections between audiences and performers.
Aria, Stix, and Nick Nack, a team considered the “soul, rhythm, and funny bone of the show,” will guide audiences through an interactive and music-filled journey filled with new, modern twists to classic circus acts.
With action everywhere, audiences will see never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts from a globally diverse cast, which includes 75 performers hailing from 18 countries including Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Ethiopia, Italy, Mongolia, Spain, Ukraine, and the U.S.
The performers will inspire audiences through a variety of unbelievable circus acts, including:
- The Triangular Highwire, led by The Lopez Family, introduces a modern twist to a classic, with four performers taking on incredible feats including jumping over their partner’s shoulders and riding a bike on the thin wire.
- The Double Wheel of Destiny includes four daredevil performers leaping and somersaulting on top and across two spinning wheels that hang 30 feet in the air and move at incredibly high speeds.
- Criss-Cross Trapeze. Nine trapeze artists take on the ultimate swing set as The Flying Caceres soar in every direction in an action-packed act nearly missing each other in the air by just seconds and inches.
- Hilarious Comedic Performances. Delivering humor in a new, laugh-out-loud, unexpected way are Nick Nack and the Equivokee Trio. Together they introduce a modern take on clowning that leaves the makeup behind.
- The Ultimate Playground. The 360-degree stage is the ultimate playground with bright colors and designs that resemble a toy box that has come to life with something new to discover around each corner. The stage transforms into the ultimate skatepark as a combination of BMX bikes, a trial bike, and extreme unicycle soar through the air.
- Record-Breaking Heights. Wheeling at incredible heights will be Wesley Williams, the One Wheel Wonder, a Guinness World Record-setting performer who takes on a daring new challenge as he attempts to set a new world record.
- Aerial & Acrobatic Spectacle. Every seat at The Greatest Show On Earth has an impressive view when fans witness a combination of solo and group aerialists showcasing skills from straps and hoops all at the same time and some, in unison. Jumping, diving, and tumbling across the show floor, skilled acrobats performing hoop diving, Chinese poles, and jaw-dropping hand-to-hand skills will leave audiences in awe as they perform their inspiring acts. Closing the show with a bang is the Ringling Rocket, which will launch Skyler Miser across the entire arena at 65 miles per hour!
Tickets, show locations
Dates for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey – The Greatest Show On Earth show include:
August 9 to 11 at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, Aug. 16 to 18 at the Honda Center in Anaheim and August 23 to 25 at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
For more information and tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, AXS.com, or Ringling.com.
Return of the Greatest Show on Earth
In May 2016, Ringling retired its elephants after increasing scrutiny on circus elephant acts with local governments passing “anti-circus” and “anti-elephant” ordinances in response to concerns over alleged animal cruelty, NBC reported
Eight months later, Ringling announced that it would close, the Washington Post reported.
The circus cited steeply declining ticket sales associated with the loss of the elephants combined with high operating costs as reasons for the closure, along with animal cruelty concerns, Britannica reported.
In 2023, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey began a North American tour of what it called a “reimagination” of its show, featuring traditional performers and acts, but no live animals, Britannica reported
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz