Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Making others laugh, or smile, or otherwise have a fun time is as old as Ancient Egypt, where 5,000 years ago African pygmies amused Pharohs and Royal Families.

Closer to home, and time, "Free Spirit the Clown" has 17 years of experience entertaining kids with face painting, balloon twisting, games, and magic from 1-year olds being introduced to relatives, to pre-schoolers, and up to about 6th grade from all over San Diego County, and recently in Borrego Springs at the Library.

Carmen Campbell is the personification of entrepreneurship, as either a clown, a pirate, or an elf. Always working, she knows how to entertain kids, but also adults if one includes a love of balloons made into different shapes, or an event where flowers for the ladies and "tribal" accoutrements for the guys are appropriate.

Free Spirit's theme-oriented gigs range from grand openings to birthday parties to weddings, and even to Harry Potter themes, and Campbell came to Borrego to provide a little joy in the lives of the kids in attendance.

At the Borrego Library on July 25, Free Spirit did face-painting, helped the kids make Spider Man and Batman hats, skeleton hats, and braided princess hats that included a heart with the child's name. Hello Kitty and Unicorn bracelets, just a few of Free Spirit's bracelet options, are popular, and so too apparently are makeshift Tommy guns for the boys.

Combining artistry and a winning personality, Campbell's most memorable and heartwarming gig was at a birthday party for a 3-year old where Mom had a birthday cake made special, atop of which was Barbie holding hands with Spirit the Clown.

The cake topping was based on a photo of Spirit taken at the little girl's previous party and was complete with Spirit's trademark hair and balloon apron. Unique and priceless.

And then there's Spirit's 5-gallon bucket of bubble-juice concoction that can produce "a bubble 7-feet in diameter and 14 feet long," according to Campbell, where the bucket completely empties as fun and frolicking wind down.

Who wouldn't want to spend a few hours doing that, kid or adult?!

Free Spirit will come back Borrego if she can make a full day of it, considering driving time and expenses, and you can find out more about her full range of talents and how to make contact on her website: FreeSpiritTheClown.com.