In a dressing area located in the Clown Alley, the clowns put on their clown makeup and costumes. Putting on caps to protect their hair, they would smear their faces with makeup known as “clown white.” After that, each clown painted on  his or her own make-up to accent facial characteristics. Followed by putting on their cosutomes . ANd finished up by piuttting on their ex-large clown shoes

The Clown would wait in the Clown Alley between their performances, It was also a storage place for  their props.  There were the stilt walker’s tewenty-foot stilts, the funny cars, and the little itty-bitty fire wagon. There were the hugh porps well as bicycles, hoops, and collapsible chairs and other props.

The clowns spent a great deal of time in Clown Alley where there was always laughter, because the clowns loved to play jokes on each other.

It was there that many young clowns learned the art of clowning from their elders. Often the other performers would turn to clowning as they aged, rather than give up their life in the circus.

Today the term has also come to mean a group of clowns. Many a clown has learn clowning as a member of a local clown alley.