A balloon artist can add a bit of zany fun to almost any celebration! Kiddos love getting adorable balloon animals or goofy hats, while adults can appreciate a sweet balloon flower or elaborate balloon centerpieces. Whether you’re a professional event planner or a parent looking for children’s party entertainment, it’s important to know the right questions to ask to book the best balloon twister for your event!
To get the answers to all things balloon twisting, we went straight to the source! We spoke to some of GigSalad’s best balloon benders to get a professional point of view on everything from how much balloon artists cost to what kind of designs balloon artists make.
1. How many balloons can you twist per hour?
? Quick Answer: Most balloon artists can twist 10-15 balloons per hour for standard designs and 20-25 balloons for simple designs. Be sure to check with your balloon twister to verify the needs for your event.
“I normally do 10 or 15 kids an hour to give them custom sculptures,” says Dave, owner of Pop Art in Connecticut. “But, if you need a ton of balloons done quickly, I can do 25 kids an hour with really simple designs.”
Kaleidoscope Design in Massachusetts quotes 10-12 kids per hour. “But we have a couple of options,” explains their booking agent, Jessica. “If they want really fast balloons, we can do about 20-25 an hour.”
“The difference is how elaborate the sculptures are,” Dave explains. “Most balloon twisters will use 3-5 balloons for custom designs. Anyone who’s doing one-balloon dogs probably isn’t going to entertain your guests.”
2. How much does a balloon artist cost?
? Quick Answer: While the price can vary per vendor, the average cost for a balloon artist is $125-$175 per hour. If you’re looking for larger sculptures or are hiring an advanced artist, the price may be closer to $200 per hour.
“I just have a standard $125 fee for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour. But a mileage fee applies for places 45 minutes or more from us,” says Amanda with Bubbles Productions.
Brian with Balloon Nerd says, “I charge $200-$250 for the first hour, and then $175-$225 for each additional hour.”
Mallory with Berlin Talent offers a package deal, explaining, “I would typically charge $400 for balloons and magic together. If the client wants to negotiate, we usually do, based on how the performer wants to proceed.”
3. Can balloon artists make designs of popular characters?
? Quick Answer: Balloon artists are constantly learning new designs and can usually make popular characters for your party. If you’re throwing a theme party, make sure to mention it so the balloon twister can be prepared with the coordinating colors and designs!
“Any really amazing balloon artist can take requests,” says Whitney of Colorful Creations in Connecticut. “We don’t use menus; the kids just tell us what they want! We can do things from loads of shows and movies.”
“We have specialty packages if the client has a special request,” says Jessica from Kaleidoscope Designs. “Our superhero balloon parties come with superhero face painting or balloon twisting, but we can do other designs if the kids want them. Same for princess parties, mermaid parties, and all of our character parties.”
4. What designs do balloon artists like to make?
? Quick Answer: Every balloon twister has a design that they love to make and helps them stand out from the competition. To each their own!
“My favorite balloon designs are your standard animals like monkeys, pandas, cats, rabbits, dogs, things that use a big bear head,” said Shonna, owner of Adventure in Fun in Pennsylvania. Shonna specializes in custom-shaped balloons that are easily recognizable, even from a distance.
“I like using the standard balloon twisting balloons we call the 260’s,” explains Dave of Pop Art, “and making them into something mind-blowing. I let the kids try to stump me because I love taking weird requests.”
5. What should I ask before booking a balloon artist?
? Quick Answer: Check out a balloon artist’s reviews and media before booking. You may also want to ask them to provide liability insurance or background checks for extra reassurance at your event. GigSalad’s simple platform makes it easy to send messages, check out vendor profiles, and securely book your balloon artist.
Shonna with Adventure in Fun says, “Ask to see a sample of the kind of balloons the balloon twister or artist will be making. There are huge differences in what some balloon twisters can provide and what a balloon artist does or what a balloon master can do.”
“If they do background checks!” suggests Jessica with Kaleidoscope Design.
Dave with Pop Art follows up that sentiment, saying, “Clients should ask if the balloon artists are insured.”
“They should ask for client reviews,” states Whitney with Colorful Creations.
?Hiring a balloon twister for your event is a great option that pleases party guests of any age! By asking the right questions and checking out the vendor ahead of time, you’re sure to have a wonderful celebration.
Article author and researcher, Marissa Blaszko, is the founder of Kaleidoscope Design, an entertainment company providing face painting, balloon twisting, princesses, caricatures, and more!
Megan is the Director of Customer Experience at GigSalad and has gained 9+ years of insight on what makes a great event on both sides of the booking process. Her favorite things include books, true crime podcasts, coffee, hiking, puns, and making people laugh.
Hello, Awesome stuff. I can’t wait to see a lot more of your articles.
It is so great to see such a great article that mentions so many of my balloon twisting professionals by name. Dustin and Brian are great friends from balloon conventions and I am familiar with many of the others. Their pricing and comments are right on par with us.
Our rates are $125 for basic artist, $165 for an advanced artist and $285 for a master twister.
Things that make us stand out is the ability to accomplish more than just balloon twisting (we have other types of entertainment too). We also can handle events with multiple entertainers as well.
When it is all said and done, hiring a balloon twister is always a great choice! We definitely agree that you should ask about a background check, to see a photo of the type of work you’ll be getting, and to ask to see an example of what the performer looks like and what they wear. There are some companies that do NOT care who they send out and you don’t want to be shocked by that.
Well it’s not how many balloons can I make per hour. That’s not how I operate. At a store Grand opening, a festival…etc. I charge by the hour, or less if I’m accepting donations. But the person is not obligated to donate in order to get a balloon. Most everyone donates…;.that’s how I make my living. But ur not buying a balloon. Ur being entertained. When I get a small group of people, I get them involved. It’s a balloon experience. Something that’s. DELIGHTFUL, FUN, and AMAZING. I don’t stand there for seven to ten minutes twisting something that’s so complex everyone is wondering when is this guy going to be finished? But I make some delightful figures AND warables. I use only three balloon per person, and yes, I do some fancy stuff. Before hand though I make some cartoon characters for display like the Roadrunner. It’s two feet tall, uses six balloons and three colors. And NO, I don’t charge $175 an hour. Imagine being at a six hour festival. I may charge only $300, yes that’s right, pus donations. So if I make fourhundred for the entire day, that’s good for me. Of course I consider the cost of balloons. And I use high quality balloons. I’m there to impress and entertain everyone. WOW….look what he made! Here ma’m , this is ur worm. (I hand her a brown uninflated balloon) But now on New Year’s Eve if I were to be Hired, I might charge $150 an hour. But the venue can afford it. It’s nothing to them. Ok my friends, let’s have an enjoyable time and be entertained with some incredable balloons.