THE BALLOON MAN

Big Top Tours traces Sarasota’s colorful circus history

PAUL VIDELA/pvidela@bradenton.comLifelong circus performer and clown Toby Ballantine narrates as the Big Top Tours bus winds its way through Sarasota during a tour of historical circus sites and points of interest in the area.

SARASOTA -- The sprawling Ringling Museum of Art parking lot was nearly full but the colorfully painted Circus Coach idling near the Mertz Theatre could not be missed.

The clown inside the memorabilia-adorned shuttle bus created an unforgettable first impression.
“Ready for some transportainment?” asked the host in the super-sized shoes.

The inaugural Big Top Tour launched Wednesday from the 20-acres of waterfront property purchased by John and wife Mable Ringling almost a century ago. John Ringling relocated the winter quarters of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from Bridgeport, Conn., to Sarasota in 1927. The Florida city has been synonymous with circus ever since.

All the Circus King’s and relatives’ name-bearing biggies were included.
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