Few art forms carry the combined weight of history, danger, spectacle, and human courage quite like the circus. For more than a century, circus artists have pushed the limits of the human body and imagination, often without the institutional recognition afforded to other performing arts. The Circus Ring of Fame® exists to address that imbalance—preserving and honoring the individuals and families whose lifelong contributions shaped the art form.
Founded in 1988, the Circus Ring of Fame® is both an international honor and a permanent public monument. Each inductee is commemorated with a bronze plaque and wagon wheel displayed at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, Florida, alongside embedded QR codes linking visitors to detailed biographical portraits. As Bill Powell, Chair and CEO of the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation, often describes it, the Ring is “the Hollywood Walk of Fame meets the Oscars.” More than a monument, it is a declaration that circus belongs alongside every major performing art.
Powell’s commitment to this mission is deeply personal. Before leading the Ring, he spent decades as a senior executive at Feld Entertainment. His decision to step into a largely pro bono leadership role was not driven by career ambition, but by family history. Powell comes from a circus lineage: his mother, Gee Gee Engesser, a legendary equestrienne and animal trainer, was inducted and honored on the Ring alongside more than 170 inductees, including John Ringling, P.T. Barnum, Guy Laliberté and Irvin and Kenneth Feld. By then elderly, she wept upon receiving the honor. Powell has often recalled that she would have chosen that recognition over a million dollar. Witnessing the emotional weight of that moment revealed to him the power and responsibility of the institution behind the honor.
When Powell joined the board of trustees in 2014 and became Chair and CEO in 2018, the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation was facing serious financial challenges. Together with an all-volunteer board, he worked to stabilize the organization, recruit new leadership, and rebuild its foundation. By 2022, the Ring had regained its footing and refocused its efforts on long-term goals: elevating the conversation around circus arts through recognition, storytelling, and public legacy. Powell himself contributes extensive time, approximately half the year, on a pro bono basis, underscoring the board’s hands-on, mission-driven approach.
That commitment would be tested in October 2024, when Hurricane Milton struck Florida and became one of the most intense storms ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. The hurricane caused severe damage to the Circus Ring of Fame monument and surrounding area, forcing the postponement of the 2025 awards ceremony and triggering one of the most extensive restoration efforts in the Foundation’s history.
As the Circus Ring of Fame® prepares to return with its postponed ceremony in February 2026, the story is no longer only about honoring the past. It is also about stewardship, resilience, and what it takes to protect cultural legacy when it is most vulnerable.
In the conversation that follows, Powell reflects on the immediate aftermath of the storms, the decisions made under pressure, and what it has taken to begin restoring both the monument and the operation behind it.
Andrea Honis: Bill, can you describe what you encountered when you first returned to St. Armands Circle after the storms?
Bill Powell: When I finally got back in mid-October, it was immediately clear this wasn’t ordinary storm damage. The Circle had already flooded earlier in the year, then Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit with storm surge and seawater. Saltwater is especially dangerous because once it penetrates the clear coat on bronze plaques, oxidation sets in.
The first thing we did was authorize pressure washing to remove salt residue. That wasn’t restoration, it was emergency damage control.
AH: How did you assess the true condition of the Circle?
BP: Fortunately, a few years ago we had formally evaluated and graded every plaque. Each had a condition rating: A, B, or C. After the storms, we compared those records to the new reality.
That’s when we realized how serious it was. About 40 to 50 percent of the plaques now required full restoration. These are solid bronze, embedded in concrete. Some can be restored on site, but many must be removed entirely, stripped down to bare metal, rebuilt, and remounted.
AH: What does that process involve?
BP: It’s painstaking work. We collaborate with specialists who understand historic bronze restoration. Each plaque must be carefully removed, sandblasted, repaired, refinished, and reinstalled. Because of the weight, craftsmanship, and time involved, only a limited number can be restored at once.
This isn’t mass production. It’s true preservation.
AH: How did this impact the decision to postpone the 2025 ceremony?
BP: Once we understood the scope, the decision was unavoidable. St. Armands Circle was devastated. Businesses were closed. Sarasota was focused on rebuilding.
Holding an awards ceremony under those circumstances didn’t feel right. Beyond logistics, it was about respect for the community and for the monument itself. So we made 2025 a year of restoration, mitigation, and fundraising.
AH: Was that difficult organizationally?
BP: Of course. Postponing affects planning, expectations, and schedules. But it was the responsible choice. We were clear that this was a pause with purpose, not a cancellation.
AH: Let’s talk about the inductees who will be honored at the rescheduled February 2026 ceremony. Who are they, and why were they selected?
BP: This year’s inductees represent the full spectrum of circus history. We’re honoring Elvin Bale, The Vazquez Family, and Franco Dragone.
Elvin Bale was known as The World’s Greatest Daredevil, and that wasn’t hype. He performed a single trapeze act that ended with a forward, no-hands diving heel catch. He dove forward and caught himself by his heels. If he missed, he was looking straight at concrete.
What makes that unforgettable is that a predecessor attempted the same maneuver in the early 1960s and fell, breaking nearly every bone in his body. When I saw Elvin perform this in the mid-1970s, I thought, “He’s doing what that man did and he’s nailing it every day.”
Elvin didn’t stop there. He performed the Cannon Act, the Mechanical Monster, rode a motorcycle on the high wire, he was the complete aerial thrill artist. He was on the cover of the program, a PR marvel, incredibly charismatic, and a true star. That’s the highest level of achievement in circus.
The Vazquez Family represents generational excellence. They began with humble roots in Mexico and, over decades, built not one but two major touring units. Today, they form the operational backbone of the Big Apple Circus. Their story is a true Horatio Alger journey: persistence, professionalism, and growth. In any art form, talent matters, but consistency takes you over the hill.
And then there is Franco Dragone, the original Creative Director for Cirque du Soleil. Franco reshaped how the world understands circus, integrating storytelling, design, music, and movement. His influence laid the foundation for contemporary circus as a theatrical art form.
Together, these inductees tell the complete story: fearless performance, generational stewardship, and visionary innovation.
AH: In addition to the main inductees, you also present the Generation Next Award and Coach of the Year recognition. Can you talk about these?
BP: Both awards recognize the ecosystem that sustains circus. Generation Next honors emerging artists, some working within family traditions, others forging independent paths. It creates a bookend: emerging talent on one side, lifetime achievement on the other.
The Coach of the Year recognizes those who shape artists behind the scenes. This year, that honor goes to Lu Yi, a master teacher whose influence spans generations. His two daughters will accept the award on his behalf, which makes it especially meaningful. He represents the quiet architects of circus’s future.
AH: Many people believe traditional circus is losing its spark. Speaking with you, that doesn’t seem true. How do you see circus evolving in a digital, AI-driven world?
BP: Circus will evolve, or those that don’t evolve will cease to exist.
Circus is an art form, but it’s also a business. The companies that adapt to audience expectations will be fine. That means delivering full, professional experiences—lighting, sound, stage technology, and operational excellence comparable to Broadway or rock concerts.
Smaller, traditional shows may still work in certain places, and that’s fine. But they aren’t going to major markets. Today’s audiences buy tickets for quality.
The companies that evolve will succeed. Those that don’t… well, it is what it is.
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Despite hurricanes, restoration challenges, and a postponed ceremony, the heart of the Circus Ring of Fame remains unchanged: honoring those who shaped the art form and ensuring circus receives the recognition it deserves.
As our conversation ended, one truth stood out clearly. Circus is not disappearing. It is evolving, guided by courage, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for its past. And as long as that spirit endures, so will the circus.
Tickets to the 2026 Circus Ring Of Fame® Awards Show on February 7th, 2026 4:30pm are now available.
All images are courtesy of Circus Ring of Fame® and Bill Powell
This post was last modified on December 28, 2025 2:05 pm