China's first international clown festival in early May is expected to attract 50 artists from 10 countries to Liuzhou, in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, said a local government official on Wednesday.

The performances by clowns from the US, Britain, and France and other countries will bring laughs and fun to the citizens of Liuzhou and an estimated 200,000 visitors, said Huang Shuping, vice secretary general of the Liuzhou city government.

The festival is scheduled to be held from May 1 to 5.

"The audience will not only be able to watch the performance of the artists, but also enjoy themselves by acting as clowns during the festival," said Huang, adding that some Chinese traditional minority performance will also be presented.

Huang said the festival is being organized by the Cultural Market and Industries of China and American Event Management Institute, which has successfully sponsored other such festivals in other countries.

The event is expected to generate 10 million yuan (about US$1.25 million) in revenue, said Zhang Guohong, one of the Chinese organizers.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2007)