Bridging Cultures with Laughter: Lowell Family Takes Clowning Legacy to China
By Dana Greig
Photo Courtesy of Lara Smith
A family from Lowell recently took the trip of a lifetime together with the goal of spreading comedy and laughter to foreign cultures. The trip is one that can teach us all the importance of connection, legacy, and the universal language of joy.
Mike, Lara and Maddie Smith, along with Lara’s brother Mike Heidtman, recently shared their talents and family traditions in China during the 2025 AEMI World Clown Festival in China held throughout the Chinese New Year Jan. 29 – Feb. 17. The festival included 14 days full of performances split between two cities, Shanghai and Fuzhou. 65 performers from 15 different countries around the world, including 14 performers from the U.S., brought comedy and joy to a culture known for their solemn demeanor.
A daunting task to the average Idahoan, and yet it’s second nature to the Smiths. Mike, Lara, and two of Lara’s three siblings all attended clown college. Mike and Lara met while being performers with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Mike has been attending Clown Festivals in China for the last 18 years, making him the longest performing member of the nearly 65 performers this year. Maddie, who is sixteen, was by far the youngest performer, yet Lara wouldn’t be surprised if the crowds were oblivious to her being a novice.
“She did an amazing job,” said Lara, beaming with pride. “She did very well, and I was very, very proud of her.”
Maddie’s ability to jump in like a professional can be credited to the fact that performing is more than a tradition in the Smith home, it’s something Mike and Lara’s four daughters have always been immersed in.
“All our girls have grown up in it,” explained Lara. “When Maddie, our youngest, was close to three, the Ringling Brothers Circus called us, and we went out for two weeks with them touring the PNW. They’ve been around circus people and clowns a lot. My kids have never missed a local circus performance.”
The girls have learned from their parents, who are serious about the art of getting into character whenever it’s time to get their clown gear on. They have absorbed how to perform throughout their lives.
“It's like locals who have cattle,” explained Lara. “When you grow up around it, it’s just what you do.”
Other than watching her daughter shine as a performer and flawlessly connect with performers from different countries, Lara said one of the best things about performing in China is bringing laughter and joy to their normally serious culture. Much different than the culture in the U.S., Chinese culture doesn’t emphasize laughter or comedy. In fact, the first time Lara attended the festival 17 years ago, the idea seemed completely foreign to the crowds she performed for.
“It's been so interesting through the years we’ve been going back and forth, seeing the culture change,” explained Lara. “Over the years they are loosening up and have become an excellent audience.”
Lara also explained she has seen a shift even in parenting styles and other aspects of living that is showing how their culture is shifting away from solemnity and toward relaxing and enjoying life more.
And yet, these festivals do not happen annually. The Chinese government only invites the performers to come after a year where they feel the people have worked hard and produced well.
This makes any opportunity to perform in China a big deal. Though it’s a lot of work, that Lara admits was a lot easier in her 20s then it was now in her 50s, Lara has always jumped at the chance to go experience the wonders, and especially culinary adventures, of China. There was even a time years ago when she quit a job that wouldn’t give her the time off to go.
“I love my job with the [Idaho County] Free Press,” Lara smiled appreciatively, “who were supportive and excited for me to go.”
For Lara, staying home to raise her children has been the only thing worth rejecting performing opportunities for in the past. Although performing brings her a specific kind of joy, being a mother has brought a joy that trumps all else.
The fact that she was able to combine all her life’s joys as she performed with her husband and a child made this trip especially sweet. It’s the second time they have been able to do so, having taken daughter Luella with them in 2016.
This joy was palpable as she explained what her daughter’s biggest takeaway was from this trip.
“People are just people,” Lara said as she repeated Maddie’s words. “Whatever the political climate is in any country, at the end of the day we’re all just humans who care about each other.”
For the Smiths, the memories of laughter shared, cultures bridged, and generations performing side by side will remain long after the festival’s final curtain call. For Mike, Lara, and Maddie, this journey wasn’t just about entertaining, it was about connection, legacy, and the universal language of joy. And while the bright lights of China may now be behind them for the time being, the echoes of their performances will linger in the smiles of those they touched, proving that laughter, no matter where in the world it is shared, has the power to unite us all.