Big Apple Circus is closing down its big top after 34 years in show business.
The nonprofit organization announced on Tuesday, July 25, 2016, that it had not raised enough funding to make its 2016-2017 season a reality.
However, the circus has promised there will still be some fun to be had.
Organizers plan to continue the circus’ community programs and “Circus to Go,” which provides clowns, acrobats, aerialists and other performers for private parties and events.
“The spirit of the Big Apple Circus will stay alive through our community programs, and everyone who has supported us over the years can take heart from that,” executive director Will Maitland Weiss said in a statement on Facebook.
The Big Apple Circus was founded by Paul Binder and Michael Christensen. The pair started out as juggling partners in Europe in 1974, according to the organization’s website.
