My daughter's school had a meeting about details on their annual fall carnival, and I had already told the organizer I did clowning part-time. She was thrilled, and asked me about balloons. I told her I had been doing some research online, and the school was going to order them for me since they could get the supplies tax exempt. I asked her the approximate number of adults and children...

" About 700, about 450 being kids.. "

I gasped for air for a second or two, and told her I would have to organize a list of things we could get. My mind was scrambling for a bit.

Anybody done a gig this big before? The theme is a western town, and I've found a guide to make m a cowboy hat out of balloons, but I'm still looking for a design for six shooters and a belt. If you western clowns have any ideas for me, I'll be glad to listen. I'm strong on improvisation, so I hope that will also help...

Any ideas on the orders I might do for this regarding balloons? I'm excited yet also nervous about this since it will be one of the biggest events I've done as a solo clown...

YIKES!

:)

Deep breaths ,Bips. Slow, deep breaths.....

Ready? Okay. First find out if animal Balloons or if they want helium balloons. Helium are faster. Not as personal but definitely faster. If animal Balloons then you better buy yourself a pump. And be prepared to start early. It may be a good idea to Keep it to simple animals that you can make very quickly. Give them a choice of three or four different things to choose from. They won't know what you can make if you don't give the option, this lets you do simple things and you can banter with the kids at the same time. Blow up a good half of the number you need sort them according to what they might be, If dogs, you only need about 8" inflated length for a typical dog. If swords, the all but the last 6".
With pumps, As much as the battery powered ones are appealing, the floow model that they sell that you push down on are a better idea. Fewer moving parts, a place for your tip jar, and best of all. No battery pack to drain and then wish yopu had brought two extras. Most of the big floor models can fill a 260 in one stroke. There is a reasonably priced one on Ebay for like 75-100 bucks. Even if you don't get paid, It may be a good investment. ALWays take a hand pump just in case.
Have something ready as a give away, a business card for the parents, Say something like Boy, if you think thats a cool balloon, MaybeI could come to your birthday party and make you some really cool ones! Talk to your mom about it and give her this. It tells how to get ahold of me.

What's to add to that Scruffy?! You said all that needs saying on this topic. By the way thanks for the tip about restricting the choice. That will come in handy a the pizza restaurant this Saturday. Thanks, it had never occured to me until you mentioned it.

Just curious if you had more details on this. Sounds like a blast!

Just curious if you had more details on this. Sounds like a blast!

What the Pizza Restaurant clowning or Bips' carnival?

Either works, but mainly the carnival...

Great Ideas, Scruffy. I like the limiting idea too, because I spend part of Friday night trying to flip through my balloon books and on the internet trying to find some western related twists to do.

Ahh! The frustration started to set in....take deep breaths, and relax...ummmmmmm....

The phone rings, and it's the lady organizing the carnival. Well, she's doing the ordering, and had a question for me pertaining to the website I sent her to, btydirect.com. BTW, this looks to be one of the most inexpensive places I had the fortune of finding online.

She didn't like Balloon cups and stick, thought these might become weapons in the hands of children, especially if the balloons pop. Good point, so we decided to order just the qualatex Traditional and Entertainer professional sized bags, 500 in total. I also told her if we ended up with any left over, I would take them off the school's hands, since I could use them elsewhere.

So, here's my game plan. I like the electric pump, Scruffy, but right now I just can't afford it. I will however, blow up quite a few ahead of time like you suggested. This idea never occured to me, and like Gilbert said, I can also use this idea at the Pizza place in the weeks to come. I learned an important lesson there last week when I forgot my hand pump...cough cough cough...

She also told me that they are trying to get a mechanical bull there!!! She sent me pics of what it looks like, and I'm not sure about that thing. She says it's safe. Who knows, maybe BIPS will give it a try.

I am on the lookout at the goodwill stores for a vest....need something western looking....I also found a design for a star made from balloons that I'll use to make it look like I'm the Sheriff of Griffin Gulch!! Hehehehe...

I'm going to avoid the line issue altogether. I'll stash the premade balloons in the back of my car, so they are not visible, and periodically go to get them throughout the night...If the kids corner me, I'll just say something like, " I gotta go water my horse, Jake, cuz he's gettin' dehydrated..."

I learned an important lesson there last week when I forgot my hand pump...cough cough cough...

I had similar problem the other week. Just before my Piuzza Hut shift started my balloon pump decided to break. So off I toddled across toen in full clown to my usual supplier who had run out of stock :? So off I toddled to a novelty store that often had some cheep pumps who also didn't have any :( Not to worry there is always the party shop so off I toddled again (by this time three quaters of the way around the town centre (tounge hanging out of mouth with exhaustion emoticon) but NO PUMPS! :cry: on the way back to Pizza Hut I noticed a card shop that had some party balloons so I popped in and :D Balloon pumps! only cheap ones but they pump on both actions and seem sturdy enough for general use.

Look for one of those cheap little air compressors that you can keep in a car to inflate tires if needed. If you know someone with a larger compressor if there is a blow gun you can use that to help blow up the balloons. Takes a little practice to get the hang of it.For round ballons, start letting the air in and say one onethousand, two onethousand, three onethousand , untill it's the size you want. Just a good way to keep the size somewhat consistent.
I guess I missed something Bips, are you doing helium balloons also? A word from personal experience, don't use kite string, it's so fine that there nothing to hold on to. Use bucthers twine, easier to tie a knot in as well. I'm working on a device to hold the string and cutter in one unit. Hopefully, I'll figure it out. I want it to hold the string in such a manner that there is a free length of string left after you cut it. I think it will lessen the chance of cutting yourself. That's not Chocolate syrup that come pouring out!
Also, for heliums, the qualatex clips are cheap and fast! you can do the string and "tie" it all in one fell swoop!

No helium this time, Scruffy.

The organizer said they had someone doing really simple balloon twists last year, and they were really excited when they found out I was a clown, because that's the first thing they asked. I do enjoy the balloons, but I want to be versitile, and do many things. I've already told her that the twists will have to be simple so I can get them done ASAP. I entertain while I'm doing the twisting which also makes the time do faster, since everyone is enjoying their wait, and I'm also having fun with patter.

Wow, Bips. That sounds similar to something I was asked to do out here. It's a fair at the Washington DC Armory, which is HUGE! I will be helping at a vendor booth. It has the potential for thousands of people, so I was a little intimidated, but I just keep telling myself that I can only do what is standard for one clown. If I could do the work of 3 clowns, they'd have to pay me more, right? Haha. I'm sure you'll do fine. I'll pray for you if you pray for me. My event is on the 24th.
Jubilee

Doing alarge crowd can be scary but can be the most fun Just dont worry about the size of the crowd and just do what you can and have fun
As long as you entertain the crowd and they have a good time you can consider it a sucess

I appreciate the support Jubilee and Jamz....

Wow Jubilee, thousands.....(near fainting) I will pray for you...

I know that numbers honestly don't change the performance or patter. I'm hoping most of the kids will be also occupied playing the other games, some being sent to jail (snicker snicker....think I may stop by and tease some of the jailed juvies while they're incarcerated)
posing for pictures (which I want to be available for also) and riding the mechanical bull.

I can't wait. It's gonna be a blast!!

I'm not sure where to get one, but one carnival we worked at, order a compressed tank decorated like a clown, very quick and easy to inflate and didn't have to use the pump, for us [it was a nice surprised because we came with pumps in hand planning to pump up as we made them]. One thing about making balloons up in advance, I learned the hard way, Our weather changes here, not only will heat effect them like in the resturant but cool air at night will to if they've sat a while, We now keep them in the house or Building until ready to leave for the event.

Check these out,,,
Click & Scroll down 'til ya see the Guns & Holster
http://www.peacheykeene.com/misc%20props%20cart.html

Or there's this one,,,
http://daytonamagic.net/customer/index.cfm?action=detail&ProductId=6647

Scroll Down 'til ya see orange Cowboy hat
http://thewoodlands.makesparties.com/Catalog.aspx?intDisplayableCategoryID=937&intDisplayableProductID=11575

And don't forget to buy ya a stickhorse.

Thanks for the links, Southwest Sam!

I like the foam props, but since the time is short I think I'm gonna go with with making a two balloon holster to hold my balloon pump (quick draw OX-E-GEN), a balloon star for the sherriff of Griffin Gulch to wear, and I even found a cool design for a HUGE cowboy hat I'm gonna try and make. Also, spurs to go with my tennis shoes! :) I'm looking for chaps and a vest currently, mostly in my local goowill stores which I plan on going to sometime next week.

I've been asked just lately to help with a church carnival [western themed], so I 'm gonna borrow some of ya'll sugestions if ya'll don't mind. I've got an idea for a small hand puppet. Tennis ball with a cut for the mouth dots for eyes and a cowboy hat from a potato head. What da ya think? Saphire's not western but she's country if you know what I mean. I'll only be walking around entertaining.