Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is permanently closing the Greatest Show on Earth in May after 146 years entertaining millions of Americans. The iconic razzmatazz under the Big Top was felled by dropping attendance, high operating costs, fickle public tastes and battles with animal rights activists. “I have made the difficult business decision that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will hold its final performances in May of this year,” circus CEO Kenneth Feld of Feld Entertainment said in a statement. “The circus and its people have continually been a source of inspiration and joy to my family and me, which is why this was such a tough business decision to make. We are extremely grateful to the millions of families who have made Ringling Bros. part of their lives for generations.”

Source: Huffington Post January 15, 2017 06:01 UTC