Clowns return to Bognor in May

Bognor becomes Clown Town

Is this the year of the clown?

We’re just a couple of weeks away from Clown Gathering UK, which will see around forty big-shoed funny people descend on the seaside town of Lowestoft for a week of workshops, prop swaps and a couple of shows at the Seagull Theatre (click here to read more).

And now it’s been announced that the clowns are returning to Bognor, scene of their famous Clown Town celebrations, in May.

Festival founder
Bingo the Clown

A clown convention was founded in Bognor in 1985 by, among others, the late Trevor Pharo, aka Bingo the Clown, and ran annually in association with Clowns International until 1993.

After a decade-long break, the convention was revived in 2006 and ran until 2013, when the host, Butlins holiday park, scrapped its Circus Circus weekends.

The Bognor festival was famous for its parade through the town that, at its peak, featured 100 clowns and drew crowds of thousands.

Now, local couple Jenny and Barry Jones have decided to revive the festival at their Jeneses Arts Centre in Linden Road, from May 12 - 14. The event will include workshops, a gala evening show at the Arts Centre on May 13 and, of course, a parade through Hotham Park on the 14.

Details: 01243 868174.

Be sure to go along and bump a nose!

Circus Mania
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