Ringling Bros. and Barnum & BaileyÂ® Celebrates P.T. Barnum's 200th Birthday

(prHWY.com) July 5, 2010 - Vienna, VA -- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & BaileyÂ® marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum, on July 5, 2010, with special events all across the United States. From birthday parties with four-ton performing pachyderms and a psychic medium who will channel Barnum, to an award program bearing his name that recognizes innovative kids who serve their community and a special edition of the Ringling Bros.Â® circus dedicated to Barnum, audiences will be celebrating the legacy of The Greatest Showman who ever lived.

Though P.T. Barnum is most recognized for his association with The Greatest Show On Earth, he was also an entrepreneur, philanthropist, business developer, community organizer, educator, entertainer, lecturer, author, promoter, marketer and museum and is considered the father of American advertising. P.T. Barnum personified the idea of a modern renaissance man and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Americans of the Millennium by LIFE Magazine. His influence is still prevalent in pop culture, and his business theories are practiced to this day.

To celebrate the monumental bicentennial of P.T. Barnum, producers Nicole Feld and Alana Feld created a jumbo-sized, contemporary circus production, Barnum's FUNundrum!SM that launched in January 2010 and is visiting 90 cities on a two-year tour. "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is the only living legacy of P.T. Barnum, and this show celebrates his essence and his contributions," said Nicole Feld. "He was a pioneer, and 200 years later, we are still on course to share his vision," added Alana Feld.

In conjunction with the 200th anniversary of P.T. Barnum's birth, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has launched The Barnum Award, which honors the spirit of the founder of The Greatest Show On Earth and his inspirational contributions to society by identifying and celebrating children who give back to their own communities in creative, fun and innovative ways. Nominations for the award can be submitted online at www.thebarnumaward.com.

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey parent company, Feld Entertainment will also donate $10,000 to the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, CT, to honor P.T. Barnum and to provide future generations the opportunity to learn about this amazing showman and his contributions to society. For more information about the Barnum Museum, visit www.barnum-museum.org

P.T. Barnum will also receive a first of its kind dedicated Star in the plaza of the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 15, 2010, and the city of Los Angeles will issue a proclamation declaring that date as "P.T. Barnum Day".

Audiences can experience Barnum's living legacy by attending a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey performance this week in either, Fresno, CA, Houston, TX, or Coney Island, NY. For more information visit www.Ringling.com.

About Feld Entertainment, Inc. - Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 70 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & BaileyÂ®, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! For more information about Feld Entertainment, please visit www.feldentertainment.com.

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