Clownfest Returns To Seaside Heights

Red noses and floppy shoes are taking over Seaside Heights this weekend as the 33^rd annual Clownfest makes its way back to the boardwalk.

Clownfest, the annual convention and celebration for clowns, magicians, and entertainers, returns to Seaside Heights after Sandy and the boardwalk fire forced the event to relocate for the past two years.

“I met with Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers and he said ‘Welcome home. You realize you’re home’ and I do realize that,” said Vincent Pagliano “aka Vappo The Clown”, Chairman of the National Clown Arts Project, Inc. - the producers of the event.

“Plus we’ve got more clowns that we had in 2012, we’ve got clowns coming in from Canada,” said Pagliano.

Officially, Clownfest started on Wednesday, however participants spend the first few days networking and attending specialty classes and seminars including balloon sculpting, face painting, comedy magic and a myriad of other specialty skills.

On Saturday and Sunday is when the makeup and costumes come out as Clownfest takes to the boardwalk, performing their routines, making balloon animals, and entertaining and interacting with visitors. The weekend culminates Sunday with the Clownfest Clown Parade.

Pagliano said it’s an event for families to enjoy free of cost.

“Kids can get a balloon animal and then they can get another balloon animal, or they can play with clowns.”