You might not recognize the Greatest Show on Earth when it rolls into Jacksonville

If you dig around in junk drawers and old photo albums, you'll probably find an old Baby's First Circus certificate that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus used to issue to every newborn whose parents asked for one.

The good news is that when the circus rolls into Jacksonville this weekend, those old vouchers will be honored at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena box office. It'll still be the Greatest Show on Earth, but it won't be anything like what you may have seen in the past. There are a lot of new acts in the show, but many traditional favorites are no longer a part of the circus.

When is the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus coming to Jacksonville?

The circus is at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena at 7 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday.

How much are tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus?

Tickets are $15-$65. All children age 2 and older must have a ticket.

When is the last time the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus came to Jacksonville?

The circus last visited Jacksonville in January 2017, its first tour with a female ringmaster and no elephants.

Why did the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus stop touring?

Feld Entertainment, the company behind the circus, faced accusations of animal abuse in the '10s and paid a $270,000 fine in 2011 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and agreed to change the training protocols for its animal acts. Faced with declining attendance figures and the high cost of transporting animals, the company chose to eliminate animals starting in 2015 and shuttered the entire operation a few seasons later. The circus relaunched last year with no animals in the act.

Step right up! Is Ringling Bros. still the 'Greatest Show on Earth' without lions, elephants or clowns?

Wait, so you are saying there are NO elephants in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus? No animal trainer sticking his head into a lion's mouth? No dog acts?

That is correct. The version of the circus that comes to Jacksonville this weekend has no animal acts at all.

So there are no lions and no elephants in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. At least there's a ringmaster, right?

Nope. The ringmaster's role has been eliminated as well. The circus will be led by Aria, Stixx and Nick Nack, three performers who will take the audience on a journey and encounter wonders along the way.

No lions, no tigers, no elephants, no ringmasters. Thank goodness for the clowns, huh?

Um, not so fast. Coulrophobes will be delighted to learn that there are no traditional clowns in this show. There are funny performers juggling and dancing in the show, but none with face paint and big floppy shoes. You can probably thank Stephen King for that.

OK, so no lions, no tigers, no elephants, no ringmaster and no clowns. What is in this version of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus?

It's not all that different from the touring "cirque" shows that come to town or a particularly ambitious episode of "America's Got Talent." The show, which runs for about two hours with a 15-minute intermission, features extreme acts put on by a cast of 75 human performers from 18 countries. They include?

• The Triangular Highwire features performers flipping, jumping and riding bikes on three highwires strung 25 feet off the floor.

• The Double Wheel of Destiny has four acrobats doing tricks on a pair of spinning wheels 30 feet in the air.

• The Ultimate Playground turns the circus floor into an extreme skate park for BMX riders and an extreme unicycle to do stunts involving ramps and trampolines.

• The Criss-Cross Trapeze features nine members of the Flying Caceres family swinging from four trapezes.

• Aerialists and acrobats will perform teeterboard, hand-to-hand balancing, hoop diving and foot juggling stunts.

• The Ringling Rocket will send a performer soaring across the arena at 65 mph.

• The One Wheel Wonder will perform on a variety of unicycles, including one more than 30 feet tall.

• An Argentine dance troupe will perform to music, some of which will be created by the crowd.

Did you know? First group of retired circus elephants settle in at White Oak Conservation near Jacksonville

How should I dress for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus?

That question isn't as silly as it sounds. The circus doesn't really care what you wear, as long as it's not offensive to other patrons. But you cannot come dressed as a clown or a lion tamer or a ringmaster — no one over the age of 13 is allowed to wear a costume.

Elephants are big, people are little. How will I be able to see these performers from my nose-bleed seats?

The circus uses large video screens to bring everyone close to the action.

Can I take photos during the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus?

You sure can, but you cannot use professional cameras or video equipment or use any images or video that you capture for any commercial purposes.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ringling Bros. Circus is back. Here's what you need to know.