ASSOCIATION • Circus Members From the Center Ring Rodney Huey, RAH PR St rategies • OABA Circus Media Consultant J
anuary and February are always exciting months for the American circus
industry because they mark the beginning of yet another season of wonderful opportunities. While many traveling circuses use the winter months to regroup and begin rehearsals for the new sea- son, a few take advantage of the warmer Southern climes to kick off their seasons. Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey played in four Florida cit- ies during January with the 148th Edition (and second rendition of the “revived” version) of The Greatest Show on Earth week- end-only performance sched- ules: Tampa January 2–4; Miami January 9–11; Jacksonville (for four days) January 16–19; and Sunrise January 23–25. Then de- parting from what had been tra- ditional routing and scheduling in Southern and lower Atlantic Coast states, RB&BB heads north with an extended Thursday- Sunday show schedule in its February markets: Greensboro (NC) January 29–February 1; Greenville (SC) February 5–8; Philadelphia (PA) February 13–16; Brooklyn (NY) February 19–22; and closing out the winter’s coldest month in Manchester (NH) February 26–March 1. This year’s show presents circus artistry upon and around
multiple stages (replacing traditional three circus rings) that expand across the arena floor. Among its artists are Wesley Williams on the World’s Tallest Rideable Unicycle; the Criss-Cross Trapeze performed by The Flying Caceres; the Double Wheel of Destiny with the Navas Troupe; Teeterboard artistry presented by Tic Tac Trio; and capped off with Human Cannonball Skyler Miser soaring across the arena at 65 miles per hour. Show Guide Aria fulfills the role of show emcee while the robotic canine Bailey Circuit provides the show’s only performing (faux) animal. The Great Mr. Swindler’s Traveling Peculiarium and
Drink-Ory Garden, a tongue-in-cheek throwback to the traveling medicine shows of the 19th century, is following
its “tried and true” Florida Sun Coast itinerary opening in its hometown of Englewood (FL) January 9–18, followed by stops in Sarasota January 22–February 1; Punta Gorda February 5–8; Boca Raton February 12–22; and closing out the month in Jupiter with a February 26–March 2 engage- ment. Appealing to an adult market, Mr. Swindler’s now car- ries an 18+ age limit on patrons. Also taking advantage of Florida’s warmer climes, Garden
Bros. Circus debuted its 2026 version of Nuclear Circus in Ft. Pierce January 14–19 followed by visits to Orlando January 22–25 and Melbourne January 29–February 1. Garden Bros. then heads into Georgia to play Atlanta February 5–8 and Alpharetta February 12–16 before moving on to Charlotte (NC) for a February 19–March 1 engagement. In New York City (NY) Big Apple Circus closed out its
2025 season January 4 after eight weeks in Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center. Media critic Miska Salemann of the New York Post had nothing but high praise for BAC, noting “
...the Big Apple Circus was a magical and dazzling spec- tacle for adults and children alike, and I’m admittedly still
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