PALMETTO, Fla. - "The Greatest Show on Earth" is making a comeback.Feld Entertainment, which is based in Manatee County, announced Wednesday that the Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey circus will debut in the fall of 2023 — without animal acts.The move comes after the circus ended its 146-year run back in 2017 due to declining ticket sales and backlash from animal rights groups.Where before, the circus had always made animals the star of the show, the company says its performers will be taking center stage as part of the big top comeback.A global talent search is underway for the new U.S.
tour, which they say will feature performers from around the world "displaying incredible feats that push the limits of human potential and create jaw-dropping moments." The company said they have already received more than 1,000 applications.(Courtesy: Feld Entertainment) The 360-degree show will incorporate new technology to make the performances an interactive experience for each audience, the circus said.Officials hinted at the comeback late last year, acknowledging then that its return would not include animals. PREVIOUS: ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ could be coming back - with one big changeRingling had been targeted for years by activists who said forcing animals to perform is cruel and unnecessary.In May of 2016, after a long and costly legal battle, the company removed its iconic elephants from the shows and sent the animals to live on a conservation farm in Central Florida.
Attendance had been dropping for 10 years, said Juliette Feld, whose family bought the circus in 1967. But when the elephants left, there was a "dramatic drop" in ticket sales.