Ladies and Gentlemen, Children Of All Ages, prepare yourself for mesmerizing stunts, laugh-out-loud humor and a spectacle of animals and entertainers in the all-new 134th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey!
SHOW:
The 134th edition of the circus features some old favorites as well as some new. The "Prince of Laughter," David Larible, brings audience members into his unsuspecting magic and comedy performance as his act returns this year (replacing Bo and Bello’s routine). The spine-tingling lion tamer, Jason Peters, replaces the tiger show. The lions seem less energetic, but it’s still spooky to watch a man put his head in the mouth of one of these giant beasts. You won't believe your eyes when you witness Crazy Wilson on the Wheel of Wonder and in the motorcycle globe. My heart was in my throat as he jumped high into the air with a simple foam mat beneath. The choreography of the motorcycles is beyond comprehension.
The theme this year is "upside down." While most of the show seems similar to what is done each year, the inclusion of a clown act performed completely upside down is something I haven’t seen before.
TICKETS:
The tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster. If you sign up with them, you can receive special notification for presale tickets at a discount. Also, if you have an Entertainment book, you can get one ticket free with purchase of an adult ticket. Lastly, the Ringling website has specials including a free ticket for a newborn.
Prices range from VIP seats (which didn’t seem like a big deal to me) at $150.00 to lower level $23.50 - $45.50 to upper level $9.50 - $17.50. I suggest going for the $23.50 seats that put you in the lower rows yet don’t cost an arm and a leg.
SOUVENIRS:
This is where they get you. The usual circus trinkets are on sale: pennants, light-up spinners for $14 (big hit), dolls, T-shirts, stuffed animals, cannon shooter, motorcycle, etc. Spending $50 is easy.
FOOD:
Eat before you go. It’s expensive! Must haves while there: popcorn and cotton candy ($8-$10 with a paper circus hat). The snow cones look really cool but taste kind of awful. Bring in your own candy or fruit.
PRESHOW:
They advertise that you can come an hour before the show for the big pre-show event. It is really not much of a big deal and the audience is packed into the rings. We watched from our seats but didn’t see much going on anyway.
The Ringling Brothers circus is one show I never miss each year. It is well worth the price of admission and truly entertains children (and adults) of all ages!