AUBURN - Face painting and clowns highlighted the carnival, and a trove of collected “treasures” earmarked the tag sale at St. Joseph's School in Auburn Saturday morning. But no painted smiles could match the happy faces of all involved - they were the real thing.

Kathleen Coye, principal, said the tag sale, which helps to sponsor the eighth-grade class trip, is in its fifth year. Proceeds from the carnival go into the school's general fund.

Eight eighth-graders, all girls, will travel to Philadelphia at the end of April for three days and two nights with their chaperones, Coye and Ellen DelloStritto, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at St. Joseph's.

Seventh- and eighth-grade students set up tables in the gym during their study halls and at the end of the day on Friday and came in at 8 a.m. on Saturday to finish putting things out.

Items were donated by parishioners, other members of the community, school employees and relatives.

Tag sale organizer Jeanie Lewis, an eighth-grade mother, said the committee has been planning the sale since the first of the year.

“We basically cleaned out a lot of closets,” she said. “I think some people did some spring cleaning early.”

People began boxing their give-aways about six weeks ago, and a number of parents volunteered storage space at their homes for the “stuff.” She said the amount of merchandise collected from year to year is about the same, but the kinds of items could be completely different.

People entering the gym to rummage at the sale could pick up a box, fill it with items, and bring it to be cashed out. But they also could barter.

“We're aiming to get rid of it all,” Lewis said. “If you see anything you want to barter for, we'll make a deal.”

Just then a man walked in with a pink and white girl's bicycle and handed it to Lewis.

“Maybe some other little girl can use it,” he said, and left. It was priced at $3, with about two hours left for the sale.

“During the last hour we sell everything at half price,” Lewis said. “If we don't get a dealer to buy the leftovers, we will donate them to the tag sale at Holy Family, which will be held on April 26.”

Although the sale began at 9 a.m., many people had lined up early. “People will try to get in an hour before,” she said.

“I come here every year,” Judie Smith, of Auburn, said. “They've got a little bit of everything.”

She was checking out the potholders, vase, and two collapsible laundry baskets she bought for $.50 each.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the school basement, Alex Casper, 10, and Mark Bachman, 12, were happily eyeing the balloon creations of clown Spot McDot. McDot, alias Dave Balcom, had just twisted up a black balloon to look like a Harley. McDot, who attended clown college in Plymouth, N.H., has been clowning around for four years.

Seated next to McDot, his clown wife, Ladybug, really Debby Balcom, was busy painting a butterfly on the cheek of Jordan Pinckney, 5, who attends pre-K at Montessori School of Auburn. .

“It's the first time we've had the carnival and the eighth grade tag sale at the same time,” Lori Balcom, organizer of the carnival said.

Balcom is in her fifth year of organizing the carnival. Her 14-year-old daughter graduated from St. Joseph's last year and attends Auburn High School, while her 7-year-old daughter is in first grade at St. Joseph's. She also has a 2-year-old daughter.

“I'll be doing it for many years to come,” she said.

Maybe her in-laws, Spot McDot and Ladybug, will come along for the ride.