Clowns Unlimited - Serving FUN! Since 1981
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www.ClownsUnlimited.com
Party Rentals, Inflatable Games, Event Planning & Entertainment Ideas

800.763.3236
Seattle: 206.763.3236
Portland: 503.381.4462

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Top 10 Holiday Party Entertainment Ideas

July 14th, 2010

If you are planning a holiday party and you need some ideas on great entertainment or activities to keep your crowd busy then you will be glad to find Clowns Unlimited’s top 10 ideas for fun at a holiday party.

Whether you are planning a holiday party, company christmas party, neighborhood gathering, special event for a members club, or any sort of seasonal festivity- we can help.  Our incredible selection of catering options, games, activities, professional event planners, and management services are the perfect addition to any special event you may find yourself planning.

Here are the top 10 entertainment ideas we see during the winter season:

1) Hire a Santa. – Santa is the perfect guest for any event.  Most often we provide our Santa services for picture opportunities.  Kids love to get a photo with the Jolly old elf, and we can print pictures right on site for any event.  Santa is also a great person to have pass out gifts, greet people at the door, and in some cases we have even provided services for malls and shopping centers- where we do a full Santa program, complete with an after thanksgiving Santa unveiling and celebration.

2) Hire other live entertainment acts! – Our live acts department is busy during the holiday season with all kinds of great special events and celebrations.  From elf face painters, to balloon twisting elves, reindeer characters,  Mrs. Claus snow man costumes, and much more.  The holiday season is chock full of all kinds of great entertainers and characters from Clowns Unlimited!

3) Holiday Trains. – Our holiday trains are hugely popular at all kinds of shopping centers, church events, special gatherings, and all kinds of other events.  There is nothing like a “Polar Express” train ride to get people in the holiday spirit.

4) Casino Parties – Countless party planners rely on casino entertainment for their holiday parties, and that is because the casino party is a huge success.  Every one loves a vegas night, and at Clowns Unlimited we help to deliver some of the regions best casino parties.

5) Game Tables, Arcades, and Xtreme Video Games – When it comes to making a full on game room for a party or event, count on us.  We have the regions best selection of pool tables, air hockey, foosball, shuffleboard tables and all kinds of other great game table rental options.  Our arcade selection is endless, and our professional presentations and custom video game presentations are a huge success every time we provide them for parties and events.

6) DJ’s, Emcees, Digital Juke Boxes, and Karaoke Parties -  Our professional DJ’s come packed with more than 10,000 radio ready songs. They are fun group leaders and can emcee any special event you are planning.  In addition, Karaoke is always popular.  And at Clowns Unlimited we have a great selection of karaoke favorites which will entice every one to sing a round!

7) Photo Booth Rentals - All of our photo activities become very popular during the winter months as they are a great way to capture memories and give party guests a keepsake to remember the special event by.  Our photo booth rental options are great, as well as our Green Screen Photos, Instant Photo solutions, and Photo Flipbook programs!

8) Game Show Productions – When it comes to figuring out one fun activity for a large group the game show is always a hit.  People of all ages love game shows and everyone loves to be in one.  The best thing about our gameshow productions is that they can be customized to include questions about your guests, your group, company, or a specific person at the party.  We can also create gameshows with popular christmas questions and answers.

9) Holiday Arts and Crafts Activities. – This category is limitless.  At Clowns Unlimited we support countless arts and craft programs for large scale events across the Portland area.  During the holiday season we provide Gingerbread House making stations, cookie decorating activities, and a myriad of other great fun arts and craft options for event planners.

10) Concession Machines – We make colored popcorns, cotton candies, and snowball snow kones all winter long.  We also provide a great amount of other fun food options for any party or event you find yourself planning this holiday season.

If we can help you plan your upcoming gathering, please let us know and we will do our best to provide you with leading edge holiday entertainment and special event planning services.  Our party rental business supports countless holiday parties and special events throughout the Portland and Vancouver metro areas, and we would be honored to provide at your next special event.


Party Rental Portland

December 24th, 2008

Party Rentals for all types of parties and special events in the Portland, Oregon area.

When Planning a party, event, or gathering- there are a lot of things to take into consideration. The most important thing to consider is crowd size. Determining how many people your event will attract will ultimately determine how many party rentals you will need to accommodate your group.

Here are just a few of the Party Rental Items you may need that we can provide:

Tent Rentals
Tent Accessories
Lighting
Table Rentals
Chair Rentals
Table Linens
Food & Catering Equipment
Moon Bounces
Dance Floors & Staging Platforms
Games
Carnival Equipment

There is no limit to the amount of party rental and event rental items which we offer- our party rental department is also well complemented by our Event Planners- who can help you to arrange every aspect of your upcoming gathering. If we can help you plan you next special event or party, and outfit you with all of the party rental items which you need- just call us today. We are the Portland area’s leading party planning and party rental organization. We are here to be of service to you and to help you provide the best experience to your party guests!

Party Rental Portland, Oregon –


Photo Booth Rental

October 31st, 2008

We rent Photo Booths for parties, trade shows, and special events!

If you are interested in renting one of our Photo booths you can add the photo booth to your wishlist on this page.

Photo Booth Rentals in Portland are available for all types of events- we have seen them to be very popular at:
Company Parties, Trade Shows, Weddings, School Carnivals, Grad Parties, and MORE!

If you are considering a photo booth rental for your next event then we can help. We are proud to offer several instant photography options for special events! Our professional event planners will be glad to work out all the delivery/set up/location details- call us today!

PHOTO EXPERIENCE

We also offer a full instant photo station which prints 5×7 framed photos. We have used this station for all kinds of photo services, customized for specific events:

For example:

Pictures with Santa – Pictures with Mrs. Claus – Pictures with the Easter Bunny – Pictures with the Grinch – Rock Star Dress Up – OR even Pictures on a Harley Davidson with Bikini Girls! The sky is the limit when it comes to using our photo station- it just takes a little imagination to create the background which you like!


Community Celebrations and Party Rentals

September 1st, 2008

Community celebrations and party rentals go hand in hand during the dog days of summer.

Community celebrations, like festivals, fundraisers, and block parties, held during the hot summer days beg for party rentals like water slides, giant inflatable games, and bounce houses. These party rental items add instant fun to any community celebration. Try out a few of these types of party rentals to make your next community celebration a success.

Community Celebrations and Party Rentals: Water Slides

Water slides are a terrific way to cool down during hot summer days. Water slides come in different sizes and are appropriates for guests of all ages. Even toddlers and 100-year-old guests can enjoy a good water slide. Water slides are available from most party rental agencies, and can be obtained for a few hours or a few days. You can even rent inflatable slides minus the water if you prefer drier fun for your community celebration.

Community Celebrations and Party Rentals: Giant Inflatable Games

Giant inflatable games are a big hit at community celebrations. Inflatable obstacle courses encourage a spirit of competition and are great for fundraisers. You can time participants with a stopwatch and award special prizes for winners in different age categories to increase participation and break the ice.

Giant inflatable games may include Velcro walls, giant sumo wrestling, giant Twister, or bungee run. These games are always popular at community celebrations and are available from a party rental supply company.

Community Celebrations and Party Rentals: Bounce Houses

Bounce houses are irresistible to children of all ages. Bounce houses come in fun colors and characters to delight kids with diverse interests. You can select a bounce house shaped like a pirate ship, a castle, a dragon, a horse, or a clown. Bounce houses also come in fun popular characters like Sponge Bob, Disney Princesses, Winnie the Pooh, or Super Man.

Bounce houses are safe for kids of all ages as long as an adult supervises them and the posted safety guidelines are followed. Bounce houses provide hours of giggling fun and physical exercise for children and adults.

Contact your party rental supply company of choice to find out more about renting entertainment equipment for your community celebration. A trained party rental specialist can fill you in on the details of renting the equipment, including the necessary space requirements, limitations, pricing, and availability of the party rental equipment.


Planning Community Events Checklist

August 25th, 2008

Planning community events is a complicated and lengthy process. 5K runs, bike-a-thons, health and safety fairs, demonstrations, marches, rallies, outdoor festivals, street fairs, and carnivals require extensive planning, permits and organization.

Planning Community Events: the Planning Team

Planning community events is too much work for a single person. A planning committee is necessary to divide the work into manageable portions. A community event planning team is comprised of Chairpersons for the following categories: Overall Event, Logistics, Program/Agenda, Fund-raising, Media/Promotion, Space, Equipment, Food, Setup, Traffic Theme, Length, Speakers, Entertainment, Budget, Sponsors, Promotional Materials, and Media Packets. Each of these chairpersons can select and oversee a team of workers to complete their assigned tasks.

You should select each chairperson based on his or her prior experience, expertise, commitment to the event, willingness to work, and availability.

Planning Community Events: Setting Goals and a Timeline

Next up on the agenda for planning community events is setting your event goals and establishing a time-line. Determine what you wish your event to accomplish and outline clear objectives related to that goal.

Next, you need to establish a time-line for accomplishing each of your objectives. It is not unusual for a community event to take more than one year in the planning phase. It is better to allow enough time for unexpected problems than to push the clock and risk completing tasks poorly or overworking the event committees.

Planning Community Events: Financial Backing and Budgets

For any community event to be a success, solid financial backing must be obtained. This can come from paid advertising, donations, sponsors, or private contributions. You can also plan fundraising events to support your community event. These fundraisers can be held as far in advance as a year before the scheduled event.

Once solid financial backing has been established, a realistic and detailed budget must be created for the event. Setting a budget for a community event can be difficult. Selecting a few financially savvy people to serve on the budget committee can help make this process easier.

Planning Community Events: Management and Overseeing

Managing and overseeing the community events planning process is necessary to ensure that each committee is making adequate process, all permits are obtained, and city ordinances are followed. Overseeing the progress of each committee is the job of the head chairperson. If a committee is struggling with a particular task, extra help may need to be brought in to stay on schedule.

Planning community events is a large task that requires many hands to achieve success. This checklist is a simple guideline for beginning the community events planning process. More detailed information is available from your local library or event planning professional.


Why host a Company Party?

August 11th, 2008

Company Party planners like us have seen all kinds of corporate events and parties.

Just as celebrating a holiday, birthday, anniversary, or hosting a family gathering is important to the health and growth of your family; it is equally as important to the well being of your company.
In today’s world it is hard to find quality employees, hard working staff members, and people who you can trust to make a commitment to your business in the manner which you know it requires. When you finally do find the people you need – it is in your best interest to make them feel appreciated.

Maintaining employee relations and encouraging quality extracurricular interaction among staff can produce bonds which will ultimately build your business. Taking the time to pull people aside and saying a heartfelt “Thank You for a Job Well done” has immeasurable effects on company moral, employee loyalty, and the longevity of your company.

Hosting a company event or celebration is a great way to nurture the relationships which keep your company going. Giving back to those who have given their time and commitment to the company encourages people to continue the commitments they have made. It is also a great way to find new people to continue a companies growth.

When your employees talk about the good things your company does for them- it often creates a desire in other people to work for your company!

The bottom line is that creating memories which your staff will remember for years to come will instill a sense of pride which will translate into a commitment to your company which can be attained no other way. Creating memories of a happy workplace creates discussion, interaction, and makes your company a desirable place to work which in turn brings you higher quality workers.


Adult Party Game Ideas

July 28th, 2008

Adult party game ideas can be difficult to find. Run an Internet search, and you might get results for X-rated parties and other unmentionable games. If you are looking for good, clean adult party game ideas, look no further.

Ideas for Adult Party Games

*Casino night is a great theme for any adult party. You can rent casino games, slot machines, and even have your own party money printed.

*The Mardi Gras party is a favorite for adult party themes. Guests can come in full costume and dance the night away.

*A Luau party is another fun adult party theme perfect for those warm summer nights. Even if you do not have a beach nearby, you can create a Luau in your own backyard with a bonfire, good food, relaxed attire, and some inexpensive leis.

*Select your favorite old movie and throw a party centered on your favorite characters and scenes.

* Do you have a favorite decade? Are you an eighties child, or a sixties groupie? You can throw an adult party themed to match your favorite time period.

Adult Party Game Ideas

Try out a few of these adult party games on your guests to liven up your party.

*The Irish Drinking Song Game- Have guests write and sing lyrics to an Irish drinking song. (This game is similar to the skits presented on Whose Line Is It Anyways.)

* Apple Bob- Guests compete to pull out apples floating in a tub of water using only their teeth.

* Belly Dancing Competition- Girls judge the guys and vice versa!

*Blind Volleyball- This game is played like a traditional game of volleyball except a sheet is used instead of a net so players cannot see the other team.

* Egg Breakers- Provide guests with cartons of eggs- some are hard-boiled, some are not. Eggs must be broken over your head. The guest who finds the most hard-boiled eggs wins.

* Diaper Race- Guests race to see who can diaper a baby doll first, using only one hand.

*Worthless Junk Auction- Raffle off your worthless junk to the highest bidder with a special prize hidden with one piece of junk.

*Board Game Mania- Present your guests with fun board games like Cranium Cadoo, Cranium, and Checkers.

*Crazy Put Put- Create a haphazard mini-golf course in your backyard and give guests plastic kid’s golf clubs to put with.

Adult party game ideas are nearly endless. If you have a favorite party game from childhood, go ahead and present it to your guests. Chances are good that they loved the same games and will play along too. Don’t forget to throw in a few motivational prizes to get the games going!


Checklist for Choosing the Perfect Event Location

July 21st, 2008

Choosing the perfect event location is one of the biggest steps in planning an event such as a wedding, birthday party, prom, or corporate event. Selecting the wrong location can ruin your event and finding the perfect event location helps all those other details fall into place more easily.

In order to evaluate an event location properly, you must have a list of your required needs for your event.

Evaluating Your Needs for Choosing the Perfect Event Location

Different types of events call for different types of facilities. Review this checklist to determine your needs for choosing the perfect event location.

*How many guests are you expecting?

*Will you need audio/visual equipment for your event?

*Are the meeting facilities located within a reasonable travelling distance?

*Is the facility within city limits and subject to any special ordinances, such as low-level noise after 9 PM or a curfew?

*Is the facility available on your desired date and for the duration of your event?

* Is on-site parking available?

What to Ask When Reviewing an Event Location

It is best to evaluate each possible event location in person. Call to schedule a walk through with a facility employee and prepare a list of questions to take with you.

Things to Look for When Visiting an Event Location

*Is the overall condition of the building in good repair (I.E. no peeling paint, no sagging roofs, all handrails are secure)?

*Is there adequate guest parking?

*Are heating and cooling provided for the rooms you will require?

*How many bathrooms are available for guest use?

*How noisy is the surrounding area?

*Is there a kitchen available on site?

* Does the facility provide enough seating options for all of your guests?

*Are there enough outlets in the room to meet your needs?

* Is there any evidence of insect or rodent infestation on the grounds?

*Is the surrounding area visually appealing?

Things to Ask When Evaluating an Event Location

*Is audio/visual equipment provided? If so, what is the rental charge and requirements for use?

*Is on-site catering available?

*Does the facility offer staffing for assistance with the event?

*Are parking and direction signs allowed?

*Can banners or ceiling decorations be hung?

* Are there any limitations for open flames such as candles?

*Can the room’s layout and lighting be adjusted if necessary?

*What services does the facility offer?

*Is alcohol allowed on site?

*Does the facility offer a guarantee?

* What payment options are available?

*Will you need to sign a contract to secure the event location?

*What are the terms of renting the event location?

Never select an event location without viewing it in person. Choosing the perfect event location takes planning and leg work for the event coordinator. The perfect location for your event meets all of your needs, provides a visually appealing atmosphere, and includes a friendly support staff at a reasonable price.


Summer Water Fun – Waterslide Party Rentals

July 7th, 2008

During the dog days of summer, water fun is a popular relief from the intense heat and humidity, but one often overlooked source of summer water fun is waterslide party rentals. Waterslides make a terrific addition to nearly any summer party or event.

Birthday parties, fundraisers, block parties, wedding receptions, graduation parties, family reunions, and friendly get-togethers are all fun events that are terrific opportunities for waterslide party rentals.

Waterslide Party Rentals

Waterslide party rentals are available in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Some waterslides have the option of dry play in addition to wet sliding, and some include obstacle courses and specially created themes such pirate ships, haunted houses, and castles. This makes renting a waterslide perfect for themed parties.

Waterslide party rentals add fun and interest to any summer event. Waterslides are ideal for children’s gatherings, but even adults with a sense of adventure enjoy waterslide parties. The older adults at your party will enjoy watching younger guests frolic and play on waterslide party rentals.

Summer Water Fun: Waterslide Party Rental Themes

Creating a summer water fun theme for your party is a great way to make your party planning easy. Water games like water balloon relays and tosses, squirt gun fights, and sprinkler relay races all add to a summer water fun theme. You can take your summer water fun theme a step farther by selecting a specific color or character to use throughout your party decorations. A True Blue Summer, Sizzling Red -Hot Summer Fun, Fruity Festival, Come to the Circus, Wet N Wild Festivities, and Sliding Through Summer are all possible themes for your summer water fun party.

Summer Water Fun: Waterslide Party Rentals Menu

No summer water fun party would be complete without an assortment of summer foods. Hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken, and baked beans are summer party staples. Macaroni salad, potato salad, coleslaw, potato chips, and vegetable salad all make great side dishes for your summer water fun party. You can also serve a variety of summer fruits such as pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, and raspberries. Ice cream, popsicles, or snow cones make the perfect dessert at a waterslide party, and flavored waters carry out your water fun theme.

Waterslide Party Rentals Planning

When planning your summer waterslide party, you may want to gather a few extra supplies such as sunscreen, towels, fun sunglasses, and first aid kits. Pass out funky and fun sunglasses to your guests and ask everyone to apply sunscreen generously to avoid any party related injuries.

Waterslide party rentals are a fun and festive way to celebrate the joys of summer while seeking relief from the blistering heat. Call your local waterslide rental company today to reserve your waterslides and get started planning your summer water fun party.


Tents, Tables, and Chairs for Summer Weddings and Events

June 19th, 2008

Tents, tables, and chairs are a necessity for summer weddings and events like graduation parties, anniversaries, birthday parties, and family reunions. However, before you place your order for tents, tables, and chairs for your summer event, there are a few things you should know as a renter.

Things to Consider Before Renting Tents, Tables, and Chairs for Summer Events

One of the first things to consider before placing an order for tents, tables, and chairs for your summer event is where your event will take place. Is the venue outside or inside? How many square feet are available for seating? Does the rental hall have any restrictions about setting up equipment in the facility?

The answers to these questions will impact the types of tents, tables, and chairs you will need.

Another obvious factor in determining which tents, tables, and chairs you will be renting is the expected guest count. Be sure to include enough seating for the bridal party, ushers, and unexpected guests at weddings. Most weddings have a few uninvited guests who decide to tag along with someone on the guest list and it would be awkward to have guests standing throughout the entire wedding reception for lack of seating.

If you plan to use clip on table skirting for your summer event, make sure your selected tables are compatible with this type of decoration. You will also need exact tale measurements before selecting tablecloths for your event. It is also helpful to know how many tables will be delivered before making or ordering table centerpieces.

If you are ordering a tent for a special summer event, you should know that event tents come in many different colors. The classic red and white striped event tent may not be what you had in mind for your sunset summer wedding, so be sure to ask your rentals service representative what colors are available for your selected event date.

Be sure to ask your rental provider if the set up and tear down of tents, tables, and chairs is included in the rental contract or if you will be responsible for these duties. You may also want to ask if you are responsible for the cleaning and inspection of tents, tables, and chairs prior to return to the rental facility. Failure to follow your rental agreement may cost you your security deposit or incur extra charges o cover the rental agency’s cost of fulfilling your end of the agreement.

This guide to renting tents, tables, and chairs for your summer wedding or special event is not all-inclusive. It is imperative that you read, understand and follow the renter’s agreement provided by the rental agency to ensure a positive renting experience.