Big Apple Circus 13, 2017 that they will auction off their assets. On February 14, 2017, Big Apple Circus announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court had approved the sale of their assets to Big Top Works, an affiliate of Compass Partners, for $1.3 million. As part of the sale, the circus will be renewed for its 40th anniversary season and some community programs will continue. On March 21, 2017, Big Apple Circus announced that renowned acrobat Nik Wallenda will be the headline act in the 40th anniversary season at Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park in New York City from October 26, 2017 to January
Big Apple Circus while the 2011-2012 season show was themed "Dream Big" and was the farewell tour for the clown character "Grandma", played by Barry Lublin. In 2014, the "Big Apple Circus Metamorphosis" was released to video. In July 2016, it was announced that for the first time since 1981 the circus would not run for the 2016 holiday season. The Circus set a fundraising goal for $2 million in 2016 in an effort to maintain operations, but only half of the funds needed were raised. The circus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 11, 2016. It was announced on January