I believe that the best answer for this question is "are." You are referring to two parties here, both the lion tamer and the clowns. This would mean that your applicable verbs must also be plural. Since "are" is the plural version of "is," it is the most suitable word to use in this situation. Hope this helps.
Answer:
The hall, a long winding path of white walls smelled of sharpened pencil shavings. The hall was wide and bustling with people. Now the hall still is cheery as always with the faint scent of pencil shavings.
Explanation:
