If you are planning a party or special event in Portland, Oregon- then you will love to see this guide of the top kids party ideas and where to have a kids party or event in the Portland Metro area. In Oregon, there are all kinds of great things to do with kids- and all kinds of wonderful party options to help you celebrate your special day.

Portland’s 5 Best Party ideas
The best ideas for your Portland birthday party.

1) Inflatable Kingdom – Without a doubt our vote for the best party place in Portland, OR is Inflatable Kingdom- they were also voted best kids indoor play in Portland by Nickelodeon. Inflatable Kingdom offers parents and children amazing birthday parties- with all kinds of great options- at incredible values. They know what the portland birthday party is all about.

Birthday Party in Portland - Top Choice

2) Cook Park, Tigard – When it is sunny outside, Tigard’s own cook park is the ideal location for a great birthday party. Cook up some hot dogs on the grill, rent a bounce house, and get a clown from us- and you have the best party you can have in a park! (The river shelter is the best!)

3) Arts and Craft Parties – There are all kinds of great pottery party options in Portland. Inflatable Kingdom offers one, and there are other places like pottery studios in town which are the ideal location to host any arts and crafts event.

4) Pizza Parties – There is nothing like having great pizza at a birthday party- and the city of Portland offers all kinds of wonderful Pizza places to fit any taste!

5) Educational Birthday Party Lean something at your party- places like the Children’s Museum, and the Zoo offer party packages that are good if you are looking to have an educational party experience.

Kids parties in Portland
Portland is a great city, with all kinds of wonderful things to do year round. So when it comes to planning a kids party in Portland, you need to carefully consider what it is that your child wants. Typically a kid wants something fun, memorable, and dog on cool…

So your job is to make sure that your kids is happy- and the best way to do this is to talk to your child. We get countless parents on the phone who say their child said that they had to have an inflatable at their party. The child then uses our website to choose what inflatable ride or bounce house is the most exciting to them- and from there we just create memories.

If you are planning a company picnic in the Portland, Oregon area, here is a great list of the top 10 Picnic places we see people planning and hosting picnics for large and small groups.

Here is a list of Company Picnic Locations in Portland, Oregon and Surrounding areas. From the leading provider of company picnic catering, games, entertainment, and fun in the Portland area. We specialize in providing cutting edge company picnics for small organizations to some of the areas leading fortune 500 companies!

Portland Company Picnic Venues

Cook Park in Tigard is a popular company picnic destination.

1) On-site, at company location – Many companies in the Portland area are opting to host the company picnic on site, in order to save costs, travel time, and to make the day less complicated for everyone attending. With all of the temporary tenting, facilities, and other event services available these days- we have the ability to set up a great picnic anywhere. We have set up company picnics in all kinds of locations, ranging from loading docks, trucking yards, parking lots, office parks, vacant fields and even in the bosses back yard! We have the ability to transform any regular old place into an visually exciting, happening, and, fun company picnic playground!

2) Cook Park, Tigard, OR – Cook Park in Tigard, Oregon is a great place for company picnics. There are several shelter options available which offer different solutions for different sized crowds. The park is conveniently located for SW Portland area companies, and offers a number of great bonuses to any company picnic planner!

3) Wilsonville Memorial Park – One of the more popular venues, and one of our favorites is Wilsonville Memorial park in Wilsonville, OR. The river shelter is a great location for any company picnic event for a smaller organization hasting a picnic for around 200-250 guests. It is particularly nice because the shelter is private, nestled in its own little cove- so that your picnic is a more intimate event.

4) Ambridge Events Center – This is a great place for any event- but the company picnic grounds is a wonderful location for a higher class company picnic. The venue is often used for weddings and other corporate meetings, but when it comes to company picnics- the Ambridge events center is a venue which you can count on for excellent reliable quality.

5) Sellwood Park – For people planning picnics in the SE Portland area, Sellwood park has proven to us on many occasions to be a great company picnic location. The venue is well treed, and the grounds are kept up fairly well- however parking can be difficult. But for most people who reside in the Sellwood are, they are used to a small walk from the car to get to where they need to be.

6) Willamette Park – Across the river from Sellwood park, Willamette park is a wonderful location for a company picnic. It is a great location for any company picnic planners looking for a venue in the Portland, Oregon area. We have hosted many successful company picnics at Willamette park, a convenient park with a fair amount of parking!

7) Pearson Air Field – Up across the Columbia River, Pearson air field is a hugely successful location to host any company picnic. The venue rental is also available with the Pearson air museum to add an interesting education element to your company picnic. This is an excellent venue for just about any crowd, as it is an airfield- so there is plenty of space to spread out for larger crowds!

Washington County Fairgrounds – Any fairgrounds you can find is typically a great place for a company picnic- especially one of size. Fair grounds are set up for handling large amounts of people, parking, and often have a tremendous amount of amenities available, which can sometimes prove to save you in costs as far as tent rentals, power, portable sanitation, and other needs for events.

9) Rooster Rock Park – Rooster Rock park is absolutely beautiful. While it can be a bit of a drive, if you like gorgeous scenery this is a venue which is ideal for your company picnic. We have hosted several events at this location and have always been very pleased with it.

10) Blue Lake Park – As long as we have served Portland, Blue lake Park has proven to be a popular destination for company picnic planners in Portland. Blue lake is the ideal location for many event planners, and has incredible amenities available which are perfect for any company picnic event. The only trouble is, they know this… and they have created and imposed amusement taxes, catering taxes, and more which can make having your picnic much more expensive if you choose this venue.

Your company picnic will be a great success, regardless of the venue you choose… At Clowns Unlimited, we are the premiere provider of company picnic entertainment in the Portland and Vancouver Metropolitan area. We will help you to arrange any venue, entertainment, catering and some great company picnic games- and with us at the help, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the company picnic.

When it comes to planning a holiday party, there are several things you want to take into consider- as there are with any event you may find yourself planning…

The number one thing you want to know as an event planner is “WHY.”

Why are you having your holiday event?

A holiday event can be held for all kinds of reason- but there needs to be a specific reason and goal in order to properly plan and implement an event. A planner of the company holiday party may decide the events goal is to give back to the staff which has built thier organizations success. A person planning a holiday party for a non profit may be doing so as a fundraiser, or as a way to generate interest and say thank you to the generous donors who have supported the foundation. People have private holiday parties for all kinds of reasons- to get together with family, to have a good time, to celebrate a new family member, to give thanks to each other. A store or organization may hold a holiday party or celebration to launch new items, or otherwise promote themselves.

Holiday Party – You’ve got the why- Now the “where?”

Deciding where is important- but before you decide this it also pays to figure out WHO you are inviting- because a this will determine a number of things like, how much space you need, your budget, your entertainment, food, necessary party rentals, and more.

The ultimate thing to do when planning a holiday party is to determine your budget. How much do you have to spend on all of the aspects of the event.

After budget is determined it is easier to determine:

Who is invited?
Event Location.
Decor.
Entertainment.
Food Service.
Beverage Service.
Gifts.

And more…

We can help you out with your holiday party- we can provide you with several options that work within any reasonable budget.

Bounce Houses are Fun – Rent one Today!

When it comes to planning a party, carnival, festival, picnic, or other event and one is looking to entertain a large group of people- inflatable games, bounce houses and inflatable slides are an excellent solution.

Jumping and bouncing around in a giant bounce house is the perfect way to play. All ages of participants love the “space walk” feeling a bounce house gives you. Many people call these fun inflatable jumping rooms “moonwalks” or “spacewalks” because of this weightless feeling.

Inflatable Games these days come in a variety of themes, shapes, sizes, and even offer a huge assortment of activities. Bounce houses alone offer all kinds of themes and have even morphed into what is called a combo unit. Combo units are bounces which feature jumping areas, climbing areas, inflatable slides, and more all in one rental unit.

Some of the best inflatable bouncers are made in America by American manufacturers. The quality of craftsmanship is what makes a bounce house safe, as well as what keeps a bounce unit looking and working well. Some of the cheaper units (made in china) are only good for limited use. They fall apart after one seasons use, while the American made units can last for years with little to no maintenance.

If you are looking for a bounce house rental in Scottsdale Arizona, use AZ Party Rents. They do a good job! They also rent more than just bounce houses, and have a great online booking feature- where you can rent everything from tables, chairs, tents, canopies, and more for your party or event. They also have a pretty decent selection of inflatable games, interactive games, and other fun attractions.

Presented by Mobile Events Unlimited.

Games2U makes its debut in the Seattle area with a giant truck and trailer decked out for fun.

Ideal for birthday parties, corporate and community events, and fund raisers!
State-of-the-art video gaming inside and outside of our amazing vehicles!
Outdoor laser tag: like paint ball without the mess!
Human hamster balls: climb inside and have a blast!

Turn boring birthdays into exciting extravaganzas! Turn Fund Raisers into fun-raisers! Turn burnt out employees into reenergized individuals! Treat teams and clients to an awesome experience. Games2U has party formats designed to meet the needs of virtually any event. Although birthday parties are our most popular booking, our Mobile Video Game Theaters and Laser Tag are also perfect for:

* Family Reunions
* School Carnivals
* Church Festivals
* Office Parties
* Sales Promotions
* Team Building
* Graduations
* Unique events and openings

For more information visit them online at www.g2u.com

Game rental in Portland, Oregon.

We offer a full selection of games and activities for all types of parties and events to the entire Portland Metro area. (Not limited to, but including: Beaverton, Hillsboro, Yamhill, McMinneville, Newberg, Clackamas, West Linn, Salem, Tigard, Tualatin, Sandy, Troutdale, Lake Oswego, and surrounding areas!)

Party Games for rent –

We rent inflatable games, carnival games, video games, table games, and a variety of other fun party rental options for all kinds of events and celebrations. We work with school carnival planners, grad party planners, company picnic planners, corporate event planners, and private party planners to supply everything needed for a special event.

There is a huge selection of Portland Game Rentals:

INFLATABLE GAMES – Including sumo wrestling, velcro walls, bungee runs, party bouncers, obstacle courses, inflatable joust competitions, giant twister games, and so much more… We literally have hundreds of inflatable games available to Portland area party planners.

Games and ENTERTAINMENT options!
Clowns – Face Painting – Airbrush – Balloon Artists – Picnic Games – Tug o war, relay races, water balloon toss, and more! Magicians, Jugglers, Variety Entertainers, the list goes on and on.

Casino Party Games and Table rentals!
Black Jack, Craps, Roulette, Poker, Holdem – you name it we have your casino party needs covered!

We also offer full production Game Shows, and can hire DJs & Bands who can run fun games on stage.

Some other fun PARTY RENTALS and games which are available!
Concessions – Carnival Games – Dunk Tank – Carnival Rides – Mechanical Bull
Rock Wall – Climbing – Trackless Trains – Table – Arcade Games

Let us know what you are planning, and we will be happy to suggest a variety of games and activities which will be great for your special event!

Ideas to Save Money on your Office Party

In today’s economy, office parties and employee appreciation events are needed more than ever in order to boost morale. While many companies are cutting budgets across the boards, savvy employers know that in order to keep up performance at their company – they have to continue building relationships with and among their staff.

The office party can take many different shapes and sizes- here are several ways companies can create great parties and gathering without breaking the budget.

Where to hold the office party…

One of the best ways to cut back on spending is to hold all of your events on site. In the past your events may have taken place offsite at a park, meeting center, hotel, restaurant, or other location. These days, party planners are holding events on campus, in their offices, and around their production facilities. This is saving all kinds of money on transport, space rentals, and employee time spent traveling to the event vs producing for the company. Especially in situations where the company has extra space available at their facility.

Clowns Unlimited supplies all kinds of services to make your workplace party fun. We can offer many different ways to spruce up your location and transform it into a celebratory environment. Even taking the simple approach and bringing in some concession machines will create a change in atmosphere in the workplace. A few game tables, arcade games, or video games can also bring in an element of fun for the day.

We can even set up an event in your parking lot if there is no space left inside to have the event.
We have all kinds of fun entertainment items which are ideal for any office party- whether on site or at another location.

Save Money on Food for the Office Party

Many companies are cutting back on expensive catering providers, and placing more emphasis on changing the atmosphere. The reason for this is that the goal behind any event is to show the staff a good time, and to make them laugh or smile.

In some situations people are bringing in Pot Lucks which proves to be successful. Other companies are taking a simple approach and stopping off at Costco- bringing in sandwich platters, veggie platters, and the like – which is saving a fortune in catering costs.

The money saved can be utilized to create fun activities which both inspire and relax your group. At Clowns Unlimited we can even bring out a grill for you to cook your own food- there is nothing better than being served food cooked by the boss!

More Frequent- Smaller office Parties

By holding smaller events more frequently costs can be cut considerably over putting all the time and energy which is necessary to figure out all the logistics for a larger event.
Some companies are having weekly events which are smaller and simple, which creates a tradition and gives people something to look forward to on a regular basis. Anything that can be done to raise spirits on a more frequent basis will benefit a company. Happier people produce more.

Make the Party Shorter

Ultimately an onsite office party can mean that more of your staff spends more of the day working, and less time preparing for the event than if it is held offsite. This means that instead of losing a whole day of productivity, companies are benefitting by having more staff working throughout the day.
The typical event time we see for events is 4hrs. We have also seen parties that only last 2 hours. By making your office party shorter in duration, you can save considerably when it comes to rentals as well as productivity.

Hold the Office Party at the end of the day

Instead of cutting the production of a workday- it may make sense to hold your office party at the end of the work day. So that at 5pm, your staff can go straight to the party- have fun for a couple hours, and then go home.

This is also a considerable way to save money when compared to a weekend or evening event!

Photo Booth Rentals in Portland.

Finding a photo booth rental in Portland for your special event is now easier than ever. When it comes to renting a photo booth for your wedding, corporate event, holiday party, birthday, or other gathering you can trust Clowns Unlimited to provide one of our photobooths. We are on time, on budget, and our services are always professional.

One of the best things about getting a photobooth from our company is that we also have a very large amount of other services which are available to meeting and event planners. We also rent all kinds of party and event supplies to Portland Metro area parties.

This means when we deliver the photo booth we could also bring some fun inflatable games, bounce houses, obstacle courses, video games, audio visual services, DJ’s, or other entertainment products as well. We have the Portland area’s largest selection of games and entertainment available for rental to parties.
In additional to our large inventory of party entertainment items, we also have the ability to provide your event with tables, chairs, linens, and other party rental items. Portland party rentals from Clowns Unlimited can always be counted on- and when you are planning an event- that is exactly what you need. When it comes to putting together your next event trust one of our event planners to help you get your party on track!

Our event planners work with a variety of clients planning and arranging entertainment, venue, catering, rental, and other details for Grad Parties, weddings, company parties, picnics, BBQ’s, festivals, and all sorts of other special events in the Portland Metro area and across the entire state of Oregon. When it comes to planning and arranging events- our event staff is ready willing and able to serve!

Another Portland Photo Booth Option

You may also consider using a Portland photo booth rental company like Go Photo Events as well- if you are solely interested in photo booth rentals. But again- they will have more photo options to offer!

Company Picnic Ideas

People who are planning company picnics out there can use our free company picnic ideas guide.

We are here to help any Seattle and Portland area company picnic planners with a variety of services. The company picnic is a very important part of the workplace environment especially in a down economy.

Picnic’s increase workplace morale, and lead to increased productivity. We have seen the effects of the company picnic benefit many organizations across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana first hand.

Our company picnic planners will help you to find a variety of fun entertainment options for your special event. we have a giant selection of inflatable games, bounce houses, mini golf, climbing walls, and more! We also have live entertainment acts, can work to arrange catering, locations, and all the aspects of your event so you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the event- knowing that your company picnic is in good hands.

We’re Back at the Seattle Center for Whirligig 2009!

March 30th – April 12th, 2009

Seattle Center is transformed into an amazing house of BOUNCE!

Seattle Center Whirligig! offers amazing amounts of fun for preteen kiddos! Bring in the kiddos and they will hardly contain their own excitement! Amazing Inflatable Rides, Games, in all kinds of bouncy colors. Also fun clowns walking around, amazing face painters, and how about some FREE entertainment?

We are talking non-stop fun, craziness, and eye popping excitement – The kind of fun that keeps traditions in place! There is even a fun play place for the Toddlers and Crawlers.

Whirligig! runs daily and charges only a nominal fee for a single ride ticket or a day-use pass, and KIDS RIDE FOR FREE in Center House on Thursdays. HELPFUL HINT: Avoid the crowds and come play Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Dates: March 27 – April 12, 2009
Times: Monday – Sunday, 11am – 6pm
Prices: All-Day Pass $7.50, All-Day Toddler Pass $4.50,
Single Ticket $1.50 and FREE Thursdays

Seattle Center Whirligig