Circus Ring of Fame Awards postponed until 2026

Storm surge from Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged more than landscaping and businesses around St. Armands Circle. The Circus Ring of Fame was also a casualty of the salt water, afflicting the 160-plus bronze plaques that surround Circle Park. 

As a result, the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation has postponed the 2025 Circus Ring of Fame Awards event until 2026.

The Foundation has completed pressure washing all the plaques in order to prevent further degradation. The next step is to assess the state of each plaque and begin the restoration process. This will take place over the remainder of 2024 and well into 2025, according to a news release.

Restoration involves removing the bronze wheels and biographies from the concrete bases and transporting them to a facility where they will be stripped down and recoated by a skilled restoration expert. The plaques will then be re-installed.

When the next induction ceremony is held, it will honor Elvin Bale, Franco Dragone, and the Vazquez Family, in addition to honoring Lu Yi as Circus Arts Coach of the Year and introducing the newest Generation NeXt winners.

The Foundation is accepting donations toward the restoration effort at CircusRingOfFame.org/donate.

Additionally, the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation was recently featured on the New York-based Debbie Nigro Show to discuss the state of the circus industry and the impact of the this year’s hurricanes on the organization. The show may be viewed at DebbieNigro.com.