When most people consider inflatables for events, their minds often go right to water slides—and there’s nothing wrong with that. But Mitch Dicker, owner of the Clowning Around/Celebration Authority in Mundelein, thinks more broadly, and he will gladly rent you any of the 500 different interactive inflatables his company offers.
“The nice part about inflatables from a meeting planner’s perspective is [inflatables] really serve two main purposes,” Dicker says. “One, [inflatables] create a nice, fun, wow factor when guests first walk in. Instead of seeing a little table or video game, they see a big, interactive, fun inflatable. And two, they’re real engaging and fun to play with.”
The Clowning Around/Celebration Authority, which serves the entire Chicago region, has inflatable ax throwing, soft-tip bow-and-arrow games, bungee jumping, gladiator jousting, bouncy boxing, mechanical bull riding, and a mechanical surfboard.
“We have another one that’s called ‘Inflatable Armchair Quarterback’ [where] people sit on an armchair you’d find in a person’s family room,” Dicker says. “Our technician controls the chair and wiggles it. [At the same time,] the person holds a football and tries to throw it into a target.” Inflatables are also a relative bargain. Dicker’s offerings generally range from $200 to $2,000, and include delivery, setup, staffing, sanitation, and takedown. Attendees are sure to be jumping for joy and
bouncing with glee.
