Ringling Mansion in Sarasota, Florida

That is what Ringling’s Circus is sometimes called, “THE BIG TOP”. Did you know that for many years it’s winter home was on the Island of Venice in Florida by the south intracoastal bridge? January and February they were in the area where I lived.

They came on a train to just off the island. Many residents gathered along the banks to watch them walk the elephants across the intracoastal bridge and the short distance to their barns on the island. As the elephants walked from the train they attached their trunks to the tail of the one ahead of them. It was a sight to behold!

Some of the circus people owned homes in the Venice area. After six weeks of Christmas vacation and rehearsal for their new show, they sold tickets and performed in Venice every night for two weeks.

All those twenty eight years I lived in the area, I attended only once. My brother Bugs was at his condominium on Siesta Key and we went together. Soon after we were seated up in our bleacher type seats we had a tap on the shoulder. There was our sister Fannie who had come over with a group from Sebring, Florida.

While in Venice, one winter some of the businesses complained that the circus people didn’t patronize them. So….Ringling paid their people with two dollar bills. Venice businesses were soon flooded with TWO DOLLAR BILLS!

While in the sauna room at my health spa I met a trapeze artist. I asked him, “Do you ever want to live a normal life?” He told me, “My father and my grandfather were both trapeze artists so this ‘is normal’ for me.” He also told me that trapeze artists are either catchers or flyers and that he was a catcher.

Me in the Venice Sun Fiesta Parade

For the Venice Sun Fiesta Parade our Board of Realtors decorated a float in circus style.  We borrowed clown clothing from Ringling Circus to wear.  Four of us, dressed as clowns, walked two on each side of the float carrying buckets filled with wrapped candy tossing handfuls into the crowds that lined Venice Avenue.  I was representing First Realty of Venice, Century 21 with whom I sold real estate for over 15 years.

Some years later Venice discontinued the railroad so the circus had to move farther north.  I was sad to see them go.  They had been a big plus to the Venice area.

FRF ♥