Thread: Circus theme ideas help

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hey i was thinking of doing a circus/clown theme this year. i dont really want like sideshow stuff (bearded lady, lion tamer). im looking for ideas like cotton candy booth, stuff like that. also it would be really helpful if you could post pics of your haunt if you did a clown haunt.
Thanks so much

I didnt get to take pics of my clown area this year. I took it down when I thought the wife got pics. But I did my bathroom in clown decor and used white sheets cut into strips and hung from the ceiling. We also added in red,blue and yellow. used a 4 ft blacklight to light the area. It was unnervingly creepy.

I did a sideshow haunt a few years ago (abandoned carnival to be technical), but my favorite part was the vendor booth I made: a zombie-manned balloon cart.

I never got a picture with the head when it was repaired (had to straighten and reinflate) and the orange and green latex balloons in the cart and wrapped on his right arm, but the effect worked well when all was situated.

Be gentle, it was my third haunt, and my first massive papier mache project. Before this, everything was made with cardboard and spray paint.



The idea is solid. I just recommend making your gigantic zombie salespeople with a proportionally gigantic head if you go that route. And don't forget to finish your snazzy vests or you'll wind up with half naked monsters roaming your yard.

I always enjoy incorporating props where captive animals turn the tables on humans. Elephants, big cats, & horses might not be practical, but perhaps you could involve performing monkeys or dogs. They'd be more related to clowns anyway.

I'm also thinking peanut vendors should join the balloon vendors. Ticket takers? A ringmaster? Clean-up crew? "Flaming" hoops? Unicycles/other cycles?

Tightrope with bodies hanging or fallen on the ground
Animal cages with no animals but pools of blood
Or place spectators(actors or props) in the cages instead of the animals.
Center ring with ringmaster. make sure the ring master looks crazy and has a whip.
Mix fingers, ears, and eyes in tubs of popcorn and peanuts

Create a board and sign for the knife thrower.
On the board, place a dead victim with knives coming out of their body, or just place knives and blood spatters all over the board.

Create a board and sign for the knife thrower.

I have to second that one. It's a great attention grabbing prop concept. It's easy enough to make out of an abandoned table top, some paint, and some scrap fabric. I ran out of time before adding knife handles, but it worked out well enough.

Also check out the Klownz social group.

Halloween Forum - Klownz

They have a lot of good ideas and links posted.

So many people are afraid of clowns. I like the clown idea. It reminds me of the movie it. I would think about the freaky mirrors that bend.... too. Not clown related, but always fun and a good distraction for a great scare.

I saw a youtube video of a freakish clown haunt. I'm going to search for it and see if I can send you the link.

Great idea. We haven't decided on a theme yet.

I haven't found the video, yet. But, what about one of those bubble foggers. The ones that blow bubbles and have fog in them?

I noticed that when I do a theme, if I look at the non-scary part of it, like a Circus b-day party and start to pick out elements I like that helps. Then I 'creep' them out and add them to my Halloween party/theme.

Simple example:

Nice party--- a nice, funny clown
Halloween--- a scary clown with fangs and blood dripping out

Nice party--- a tight rope walker doing magical tricks
Halloween--- a rope that is a long snake with creepy people above

I hope that helps. :-) Brainstorming...it's all about the brainstorming.