Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus begins final tour

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - It's the end of an era. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is in Philadelphia one last time. The show folds up its tents for the final time this spring after nearly 150 years. Tonight, they kicked off the final run for the circus in Philly.

Jason and Heather Gerhart just had to bring their 2-year-old son Riker to his first and last circus like this he'll ever see.

"That's why we wanted him to experience it. For it to be ending we are kind of surprised by that and we want him to experience when we were younger," Matt told FOX 29.

It was a bitter sweet night for circus fans at the Wells Fargo Center.

After thousands of performances and millions of spectators the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will shut down for good this spring.

Many who hold regular demonstrations outside the circus say it was time.

"Ringling failed to adapt to the times. They related on antiquated act and people stopped coming. People became aware of how the animals were suffering and did not want to come anymore," said PETA volunteer Maryanne Bessey.