Between events,just as in a circus, rodeo clowns act silly to entertain children in the audience.
VOA: standard.2010.01.25
Often the mechanical theatrics took inspiration from popular theatrical events like the circus, featuring automaton clowns performing acrobatic feats to the accompaniment of music.
Clowns from the Big Apple Circus conducted the training, called Clown U. Lessons for the aspiring clowns included parade etiquette (when faced with a crying child, walk away).
There's not much to those memories, but I distinctly recall the tinny circus sounds accompanying the opening animation of Clowns and Balloons and a fez-sporting monkey perched on a high wire.