FOR SEVEN DECADES, SARASOTA COUNTY WAS

THE “HOME OF THE AMERICAN CIRCUS.” IN MARCH

1927, JOHN AND CHARLES RINGLING OF RINGLING

BROTHERS AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS ANNOUNCED

THAT SARASOTA, WHERE THEY OWNED OVER SIXTY

THOUSAND ACRES, WOULD BE THEIR WINTER QUARTERS.

MANY LEADING CIRCUS PERFORMERS SOON FREQUENTED

THE SEASIDE RESORT, RESTING WHILE MANAGEMENT

PREPARED A NEW SHOW FOR THE COMING YEAR.

CAPITALIZING ON PUBLIC CURIOSITY ABOUT CIRCUS LIFE,

JOHN RINGLING BEGAN CHARGING ADMISSION DURING

THE WINTER MONTHS – A QUARTER FOR ADULTS AND A

DIME FOR CHILDREN. SARASOTA SOON BECAME ONE

OF FLORIDA’S LEADING TOURIST DESTINATIONS.

THE CIRCUS REMAINED IN THE REGION UNTIL THE EARLY

1990S, WHEN IT LEFT SARASOTA COUNTY FOR GOOD,

MOVING TO THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS IN TAMPA.

SARASOTA’S LEGACY AS “CIRCUS CITY, USA,” IS REMEMBERED

TODAY WITH AN HISTORICAL MARKER ON THE SITE OF THE

WINTER GROUNDS. TOURISTS CAN ALSO VISIT THE NEARBY

RINGLING CIRCUS MUSEUM AND THE CIRCUS RING OF FAME.

Courtesy of the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources