Are you in the process of planning a New Year’s Eve Party? Do you want to incorporate a festive balloon drop into your party plans? If so, I can help. As a former party planner, I have organized my fair share of New Year’s Eve balloon drops. I am also willing to share with you how to get the job done. With that said, here’s some what you need to know:
Supplies Needed
One of the first items that you’ll need to invest in is a balloon ceiling drop kit. Balloon ceiling drop kits consist of balloons and plastic sheeting. I should also mention that some of the more expensive kits come with a mesh netting instead of plastic sheeting. Personally, I typically tend to buy the cheaper of the two kits. Both varieties are usually available for purchase through party supply retailers. In addition to buying the balloon ceiling drop kits, you’ll also want to invest in extra balloons, a roll of duct tape, a pair of step ladders and a portable air compressor.
Before you can actually purchase the kits, however, you’ll need to know the dimensions of your party room. If you are unsure of your party room’s dimensions, simply use a tape measure to determine the room’s width, length and ceiling height. Once you have your measurements, you’ll want to select a kit or kits that cover your party room’s ceiling and leave enough head room for your guests. Otherwise, you could end up having your guests bang their heads into the balloons as they enter the room. Although running into the balloons won’t hurt your guests, the impact could cause your balloon drop to occur prematurely.
Setting Up the Balloon Drop
Once you have all of your supplies on hand, you can start setting up the balloon drop. Surprisingly, it can be a bit difficult to do by yourself. As such, I would recommend that you solicit the help of one to three friends. Start by attaching the plastic sheeting to the ceiling. Most kits come with self-adhesive attachment strips that are designed to do just that. However, I have found that the strips don’t always work as planned. That’s why I like to keep a roll of duct tape handy. In my experience, the duct tape may be used to reattach any lose ends.
After the plastic sheeting is in place, begin filling your balloons with air. Depending on the size of your balloon drop, this could take quite a while. Afterwards, stuff the inflated balloons inside the pocket made by the plastic sheeting. Then attach the balloon ceiling drop kit’s pull string to a staging wall. I would recommend selecting a wall as close to your scheduled entertainment staff as possible. That way, you can coordinate the actual balloon drop to coincide with the disc jockey or band’s countdown to midnight.
Pulling the String
As midnight draws near, make sure that you survey the balloon drop area for items that could pose a health and safety risk to your guests. Examples include lit candles, lit sterno cans and open chafing dishes. Once the area is clear of hazards, take your place by the staging wall. Then, when it comes time to pull the string, make sure that you don’t yank it too hard. Otherwise, the string could pull free from the plastic and leave your balloons stuck to the ceiling.
Source: Personal Experience
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