The History of the Circus in Sarasota County

John Ringling moved the winter quarters of his Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from Bridgeport, Conn. to a burgeoning Florida city called Sarasota in 1927. With Ringling’s winter quarters came the trapeze artists, the lion tamers, the tightrope walkers, and—of course—clowns. The circus launched a clown college in the Florida beach destination in 1967, and gave the world a new generation of entertainers.

For 70 years, Sarasota's Sailor Circus has thrilled audiences as one of the most unique extracurricular activities for local students in the world. 

In addition to its world-renowned shopping, dining, and beaches, modern St. Armands Circle is home to the Circus Ring of Fame — an iconic park established in 1987 that celebrates circus greats and Sarasota's vibrant history. New inductees are commemorated annually with the addition of bronze circus-wagon wheels — the circus equivalent to a Hollywood Star — along with a biographical plaque to accompany each wheel.