&uot;Where are the clowns?&uot; BreAnna Moore asked Friday morning. Moore, a student at Frazier Primary School, joined nearly 500 other youngsters — many on school field trips — to watch the raising of the big top at the Carson & Barnes Circus.

And while the animals were fascinating — including all those elephants in pens around the circus site — Moore had only one thing on her mind.

&uot;I want to see the clowns,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m coming back later to see the clowns.&uot;

The raising of the big top started a day of activity at Liberty Park, where the Trace City Kiwanis hosted the traveling circus and its performers.

And, by 4:30 p.m., when the first show began, the clowns were in costume, along with the other performers … and hundreds more children were on hand to delight in the circus, many enjoying the opportunity just to look at the animals.

&uot;Look at that one!&uot; said Shonna Harris, 8, while watching a tiger moving in the cage. &uot;The rest of (them) are sleeping.&uot;

The clowns drew Juan Lopez of Vidalia, too, who brought Harris and several other children to the 4:30 p.m. show.

&uot;A clown went to their school and since then they have been talking about the circus,&uot; he said.

Guests also could ride elephants, camels and ponies during the day Friday.

The circus is sponsored by the Trace City Kiwanis, a local service club which will receive a percentage of the ticket sales for charitable projects.

&uot;It’s going so well,&uot; said Steve Pearson, publicity chairman for Kiwanis. &uot;Sales have been excellent.&uot;

Guests at the circus marveled at the performances of acrobats, laughed at the antics of clowns and cheered as dogs performed a series of tricks– which included riding on the back of a pony.

Brother and sister Claude and Mary Ray said they enjoyed riding the ponies and feeding the goats prior to the circus. &uot;The goats were hungry too,&uot; Mary Ray said.