“We’ll see you down the road.”

Richard Snowberg founded Clown Camp in 1981 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

It continued to run there until 2008 and held sessions in Canada, Japan, and Singapore. In 2009, Clown Camp relocated across town to Viterbo University. Following a hiatus, it resumed in 2016 and continued through 2019. However, due to the pandemic, another hiatus was necessary. Clown Camp returned to Viterbo University in 2023.

For 35 years, Clown Camp has offered Clown Camp On The Road and One-Day Intensives in addition to one-week programs. Clown Camp Japan continues to be held in Japan by Rone and Gigi.

Creating a once-a-year program takes tremendous work; much of this work is behind the scenes and starts more than a year before the program.

Dedicated Clown Camp Assistant Directors included Leon McBryde, Barry DeChant, Irene Doll, and Lee Mullally, who served in this role for the longest time. Additionally, Jan Snowberg served as Richard’s unofficial assistant. The Clown Camp Official Photographers, Roger Grant, Jay Choutka, Merilyn Barrett, and Phil Addis, skillfully captured the Clown Camp experience’s magic. Artists Bill Eubanks, Mark Renfro, Angel Contreras, Sandy Weber, and others, created the beautiful artwork for logos. Jim Howle created custom artwork for commemorative posters and promotion.

A HUGE thank you to the hundreds of the finest clowns and variety arts entertainers in the world who instructed, performed, and inspired at Clown Camp!

Did you know? Well over 5,000 Clown Camper alums have conceivably reached millions of audiences worldwide, sharing the positive family-friendly powers of laughter, joy, and community; it’s something that we can all take pride in. THANK YOU CLOWN CAMPERS!

In 2016, Richard Snowberg passed management of Clown Camp to my wife, Brenda, and me. We promised to maintain the high standards of education that the program is known for. We also pledged to ourselves that we would not personally provide financial support to Clown Camp; it needed to be self-sustaining.

Although the number of registrations was low, Clown Camp 2023 was a fantastic experience!

We paid tribute to our founder and his passing. It was also special since the Snowberg family was present. The 2023 program was partially made possible by Clown Camper’s, who donated their registration fee from postponed programs during the pandemic, a special benefactor, senior staff declining honorariums, and Brenda and I financially supported the program.

Renting the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center and using campus lodging and food facilities has proven to be an excellent fit for Clown Camp; we are thankful for their support. However, due to a significant decline in registration numbers, the cost of running Clown Camp has become unsustainable, negatively impacting the program’s ability to maintain its high-quality educational standards.

Given these challenges,  it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of CLOWN CAMP. We hope a new generation will continue to advance the clown arts. There is a reason the art has survived throughout time.

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”
– Lucius Annaeus Seneca

We are grateful to all the staff and Clown Campers of Clown Camp who have played a vital role in making the program a success in La Crosse.

Your eagerness to share the knowledge and skills you acquired in a small town between the scenic bluffs and the mighty Mississippi River will forever keep Clown Camp’s legacy alive.

Sincerely,
Kenny Ahern
Managing Director, Clown Camp