Yuks, gags and red noses overrun Swiss village

July 19, 1997
Web posted at: 11:24 p.m. EDT (0324 GMT)

LEUKERBAD, Switzerland (CNN) -- Laughs, gags and makeup overdone to the extreme -- all have descended on the Swiss mountain village of Leukerbad this weekend for the hamlet's third-annual clown festival.

Despite rain, the seven-day event has drawn thousands of people from all over the world who enjoy slapstick and red noses.

"To be a clown is to be the greatest actor in the world," says Jango Edwards, who teaches comedy at the festival. "A clown is someone who communicates to the world his reflection of society. We try to relax the tension."

With all the clowns in Leukerbad, then, it ought to be a very laid-back place.

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