From Bozo the Clown to Ronald McDonald, we have a full week dedicated to these whimsical, funky characters that bring smiles to the faces of children and elders alike. This event helps us rediscover the joys of clowning and clown shows. And, because being a clown is no joke, it invites us to discover more about the art of clowning and the people behind the makeup who dedicate their lives to this eccentric performance. So, we had to ask: What is the most important information you need to know about this year’s International Clown Week?

👉 Official Name: International Clown Week
💚 Cause: Honor and recognize the craft of clowning and promote it to the public
📅 Next Date: August 1-7, 2025
🌐 Official Website: https://mycoai.com/clown-week
🐦 Hashtags: #InternationalClownDay, #HireAClown, #ClownAround, #NationalClownDay

Keep reading to find out all the important information about International Clown Week at a glance: its big picture, why it’s important, and how you can get involved. We’ll then share its brief history, three interesting facts about it, its future dates, and how you’ll never miss any important awareness event again.

The Most Important Information About International Clown Week at a Glance

1️⃣ The big picture: International Clown Week celebrates these wonderful performers and their contribution to the world of entertainment. It is a reminder of the vital importance of clowns’ comedy and humor to our humanity, especially when performed in children’s hospitals, elderly homes, and wherever a touch of fun is needed. Through shows, social media posts, and educational events, this week honors the fact that, besides being entertaining, clowns often perform acts of service that bring light to unhappy places. This week, people attend special clown shows, donate to clown organizations, and host thematic parties. 

2️⃣ Why it is important: The Clown Institute argues that clowning helps people taste freedom in foolishness and authenticity through absurdity. Clowning, they add, is a gentle rebellion against the uptight commands and shields of adulthood. They say that something liberating happens when clowns and audiences allow themselves to play, be silly, and just laugh about it. Clown variations have played important roles in cultures across history, and their entertaining shows have put smiles on the faces of poor children and famous kings alike. For the performers, this can be a way to use their grief, anxiety, or other unwell states for the better; igniting laughter and positive emotions in others. 

3️⃣ How you can get involved: You can celebrate International Clown Week by throwing a thematic party, joining a clown show, or connecting clowns with children in need of laughter:

1. Host a clown-themed party: Invite friends and family to an all-out clown party and encourage them to bring their kids! You can all dress up in traditional clown costumes, wear specific makeup, and create funny skits with balloons and toys. And, of course, you can also hire a professional clown to join you!
2. Let clowns amaze you: During this week, clown organizations worldwide engage the public in exciting clown performances and artistic circus-like shows where people can get a good laugh. Search around and find the closest performance you can attend!
3. Spread the joy of clowns: Start a fundraiser at your workplace or among your friends to sponsor clown shows for charitable events and non-profit organizations for orphans or lonely, vulnerable children. 
4. Discover clowns: You can spend this week studying more about the history of clowns, jesters, and circuses, and how they impacted the cultures they were in. And, while you’re at it, consider watching some movies that center on clown characters. 

A Brief History of International Clown Week

When was this event established: International Clown Week started out in the 1950s on a smaller scale – namely as an unofficial holiday in some US states – and was probably invented by Walt “Wabo” Savage. Later on, in 1966, Ray Bickford, President of Clown Club of America, appointed Frank “Kelly the Clown” Kelly as the chairman of the first National Clown Week. Kelly urged members to lobby with local politicians for a presidential proclamation that would authorize the event.

How has it developed since then: In 1971, President Richard Nixon proclaimed August 1–7 as National Clown Week “to recognize the contributions made by clowns in their entertainment at children’s hospitals, charitable institutions, for the mentally challenged, and generally helping to lift the spirits and boost the morale of our people.” Later, in 1988, the observance became an international event, with Ray Bickford appointed as the first International Clown Week chairman. Today, this event is celebrated worldwide with countless fun and educational activities that spark an interest in the art of clowning. 

3 Interesting Facts About International Clown Week

1. Types of clowns: People have generally split clowns into as many as eight categories. The main ones are Whiteface Clown, the Auguste Clown, and the Tramp Clown. In more specific scenarios, such as clown shows, thematic movies and events, or regional folklore, we also have the Character Clown, the Mime, and the Jester, and sometimes, more peculiarly, the Rodeo Clown and the Creepy Clown. 
2. Mainstream clowning: The first mainstream clown role was portrayed by Joseph Grimaldi, who also created the traditional whiteface make-up design. In the early 1800s, he expanded the role of Clown in the harlequinade that formed the British pantomimes. He was so influential that the Smithsonian Institute called him “the first recognizable ancestor of the modern clown, sort of the Homo erectus of clown evolution.”
3. Behind the makeup: Many clowns and comedians alike have historically suffered from the Sad Clown Paradox. Many people who are skillfully talented at making others happy seem to struggle with their own happiness, and even deal with various mental issues, such as depression, sorrow, or loneliness. For them, early life is characterized by deprivation and isolation, and comedy evolves as an outlet for tension and a way to find belonging and acceptance.

Upcoming Dates of International Clown Week

International Clown Week is observed every year between August 1 and August 7.

Never Miss an Important Awareness Event Again

Sources

• Wikipedia: Bozo the Clown
• Wikipedia: Ronald McDonald
• Wikipedia: International Clown Week
• Faster Capital: The History Of Clowning And Its Importance
• Royal Examiner: Funny People with Healing Skills: Celebrating International Clown Week
• Wikipedia: Category:Clown organizations
• The Clown Institute: We’re all useful
• Jstor: The Clown’s Function
• Wikipedia: Sad clown paradox
• Amazon: clown party
• Amazon: clown costume
• Amazon: clown makeup
• Clown Antics: Clown Props and Skit Routines
• Clown Antics: 5 Steps to Create a Basic Clown Skit Routine – A Beginner’s Guide
• Wikipedia: clown
• Wikipedia: circus
• Wikipedia: Category:Films about clowns
• Fox42: Got a broken funny bone? Here’s a week that will make you laugh: International Clown Week
• Alchetron: International Clown Week
• My COAI: clown week
• The American Presidency Project: Proclamation 4071—National Clown Week
• National Today: International Clown Week
• Clown Antics: The Different Types of Clowns
• Trixtan: The Different Types of Clowns
• Wikipedia: Joseph Grimaldi
• Smithsonian Magazine: The History and Psychology of Clowns Being Scary
• Sage Journals: The sad clown paradox: A theory of comic transcendence
• BBC Science Focus: Sad clown paradox: Why do so many talented comedians suffer from mental health issues?