The global circus community is being called on once again to help select the next class of inductees into the Circus Ring of Fame®, as voting opens for the organization’s 2027 honors.
Each year, the Circus Ring of Fame Foundation receives nominations from around the world recognizing artists, producers, innovators and organizations whose careers have left a lasting mark on the circus arts. Following a review by the Foundation’s Nominating Committee, finalists are presented to the international circus community for a vote.
Since its founding, the Circus Ring of Fame has honored more than 150 of the art form’s most accomplished figures and organizations, recognizing achievement in performance, production, innovation, education and the preservation of circus heritage.
The five nominees for 2027 reflect the breadth and international character of the circus world, spanning contemporary production, clowning, aerial artistry and multigenerational circus traditions.
2027 Circus Ring of Fame® Nominees
Alain Pacherie
Alain Pacherie, the French producer and founder of Cirque Phénix, has built one of Europe’s leading contemporary circus productions. Known for mounting large-scale international spectacles, he has brought together artists and traditions from around the world while advancing the circus as a global cultural art form. His work as a producer has emphasized both the international character of circus and its capacity for theatrical innovation.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College
Founded in 1968, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College became one of the most influential training institutions in the history of American circus clowning. Over the course of its existence, the school trained generations of professional clowns, many of whom went on to careers with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and other circuses and productions around the world. Its influence extended beyond the preservation of traditional clowning, helping shape the performance style and professional training of modern circus clowns.
Bernhard Paul
Bernhard Paul, founder and producer of Circus Roncalli, has been a defining figure in the development of modern European circus. Since creating Roncalli in 1976, Paul has blended traditional circus artistry with theatrical storytelling, elaborate visual design and distinctive production values. His approach helped demonstrate that the traditions of the classical circus could be preserved while being presented through a contemporary theatrical lens. In 2026, Circus Roncalli marks its 50th anniversary, a milestone in a career that has influenced circus production across Europe and beyond.
The Flying Caballeros
The Flying Caballeros have established an international reputation as one of the circus world’s distinguished flying-trapeze families. Across generations, members of the family have combined technical achievement and aerial innovation with careers in circus performance and production. Their work has helped preserve the traditions of the flying trapeze while advancing the discipline for new generations of performers and audiences.
The Canestrelli Family
The Canestrelli Family represents generations of circus tradition and achievement. Its members have distinguished themselves in acrobatics, trampoline, juggling, aerial and specialty acts, as well as circus production and innovation. Across generations and continents, the family has contributed to the development and preservation of circus arts, establishing a legacy that extends through more than a century of circus history.
The International Circus Community Votes
Circus professionals, artists, producers, historians, educators, scholars, enthusiasts and supporters around the world are invited to participate in the selection process.
Voters are asked to select the three nominees they believe best represent outstanding achievement, enduring influence and lifelong dedication to the circus arts.
Voting closes Sept. 9, 2026, at midnight.
To cast a ballot and learn more about the nominees, visit the Circus Ring of Fame voting page.
The individuals and groups selected for induction will be formally honored at the Circus Ring of Fame induction ceremony in February 2027, joining a distinguished roster of performers, producers, innovators and visionaries whose work has helped shape the history and continuing evolution of the circus arts.