Echoes recently took a look back at when Bournemouth prepared for its first international clown festival - and now we look back at the event itself.
It was August, 1987, when slapstick reigned in true circus style as children packed the Lower Gardens to join the zany band.
Greasepaints and gags abounded at the preview pageant which signalled the start of three days of tomfoolery and jolly japes.
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More than 20 clowns were on parade for the merry marchpast.
And there were free ice creams for children that dressed up as clowns in the Gardens.
Performances included those from top international artists Double Dutch of Holland, Inverso from Sweden and Arnos of Paris.
Homegrown talent included debuts from three young local clowns; Fiona Grogan of Queen's Park, Russell Payne of Boscombe and Caroline Bone of Talbot Woods.
Ross Sanger officially opened the festival as Hobo, the famous TV clown who appeared before the camera regularly in the 1980s.
l Were you one of the clowns that took part? Do you remember seeing them in Lower Gardens? Share your memories by emailing ian.crump@dailyecho.co.uk .
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