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The weather is cool and pleasant at the Aug. 13 Summer Jam concert and picnic in downtown Hyattsville, and Mandy Dalton is busy serving up the balloon du jour.

"At every event, there's a balloon du jour," Dalton said as she quickly transforms another rubber tube into a curved blade with decorative handle. First one or two children request it, and then the others see them and want the same thing. Eventually, she's making one shape almost exclusively.

"She's great, always friendly and smiley," said Hyattsville resident Marti Alsop, who brought her two grandchildren to the Summer Jam. "She's very patient when the balloons pop."

Replacing popped balloons is business as usual for Dalton, Hyattsville's unofficial clown-in-residence and a performer who's been a fixture at city picnics, parades and events for so long many people on the city staff can't remember when she started, except to say that it was before their time.

"She's always been a pleasure to work with. She's great with the kids," said Theresa Kenny of city's recreation department.

Over the years, Dalton has shown a commitment to helping make city events as much fun as possible that goes beyond the call of duty, Kenny said.

Kenny recalled a delay at this year's Hyattsville anniversary parade in April and Dalton taking it upon herself to keep the crowd involved.

"She got up on her stilts, she was dancing with the kids. ... She really kept it going," Kenny said. "She's always willing to pitch in."

By her recollection, she's been entertaining in Hyattsville for about 23 years, said Dalton. A native of Annapolis who now lives in Cheverly, she calls Hyattsville her "adopted home."

"I have not been to a place that is more accepting of more different types of people," Dalton said at the city's National Night Out Celebration on Aug. 3. "It's great for me. ... I'm a clown, I kind of don't fit in with anybody, so it's great when I can find a place to fit."

Dalton, 44, has entertaining in her blood. Her father was a part-time amateur magician, and she said she was enchanted by the way he could command attention when performing.

Dalton graduated from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1982, and soon joined her parents at Poppin' Magic, an entertainment business they founded after retiring. Through the company, her mother booked her at parties and events, including some in Hyattsville.

In addition to becoming proficient in juggling, stilt walking, unicycling and other circus staples, Dalton studied theater and clowning at the Moscow Art Theatre School and the Nouveau Clown Institute in Barcelona, where she plans to return this spring to continue her studies.

One of the secrets of clowning she's learned, Dalton said, is to "try not to plan, try not to anticipate," but interact with the audience and build off their energy.

"Regardless of what my routine is ... what I'm really trained to do is respond to the feedback, and then react to that in a way that will hopefully get us to make that sound — laughter," Dalton said.