What is your bubble show like?
I begin by entertaining the crowd with my spectacular bubble show using a variety of unique looped string designs. The strings are attached to the ends of long poles that I raise up high, again and again. The adults will watch on in amusement as the children excitedly chase the bubbles and try to pop every last one. After 20-30 minutes of bubble-popping fun, I set out eight trays of bubble solution and an assortment of giant colorful wands so the kids can make their own bubbles too. While the kids (and adults) make bubbles, I play some music on a portable speaker. It's a great assortment of songs and it really adds to the fun and makes your party feel like a party! I will adjust the volume to be considerate of other parties that might be in the area.
For mostly girl parties in the 7-10-year-old range, I have a Taylor Swift playlist that's been a huge hit lately!
Do you perform at large corporate events?
For very large events where performing my typical bubble show might lead to too much chaos with kids chasing the bubbles everywhere, instead I provide up to eight bubble stations where the attendees can try their hand at giant bubble making themselves. I provide instruction, and make sure the trays stay filled with bubble juice the entire time. Attendees will use my custom-made giant bubble wands, and my signature high-performance bubble juice. This format works great for adult-only events, as well as family events. Feel free to email me for more information and photos of past events: sfbubbleman@gmail.com
What is the best age for bubble parties?
I recommend my shows for kids 3-10. Things tend to go smoothly when the kids are all of similar age. If the birthday child is 5 years old, but there are also 8-year-olds present, the older kids will likely dominate the fun (The kids love to chase and pop the bubbles) and this can detract from the birthday child's experience. Note: I don't recommend my shows for one-year-olds since they are too young to appreciate things fully.
Is this your full-time job?
Yes! I am available 7 days a week, and do a maximum of three parties per weekend. I also have a vocal harmony course available (Unrelated to bubbles) that I created here: https://easyvocalharmony.com/
Should we put out blankets for the kids to sit on?
This won't be necessary. The kids will almost surely be standing and/or chasing the bubbles the whole time.
Will the kids get wet? Should we bring a change of clothes for the kids?
The kids will likely get some bubbles on them. It's generally not a problem, but a change of clothes might be a good idea for toddlers, and if it's in the wintertime and cold. But simply bringing a towel or some paper towels is usually sufficient to wipe the kids off afterward if needed. (Occasionally a toddler will fall in a bubble juice tray and get wet. It's only about 3-4 inches of bubble juice but it's enough to get wet). Having the kids wear clothes that are water/rain resistant is another option for really cold days.
Do you require a deposit?
Yes, a $100 deposit will be required to complete your booking. It is refundable in the event of rain during your scheduled party time, or an extreme weather heat advisory, or toxic smoke from wildfires. Your deposit will also be returned if you cancel with at least 21 days' notice. (If you cancel with less than 21 days' notice but I'm able to fill the slot with another client, I will still return your deposit.)
Incidentally, my bubble show can work in light rain if you are an adventurous crowd. I'm a big fan of the saying, 'The show must go on!'. (Heavy downpours are a no-go though!)
***Excessive heat: We may have to cancel if the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat advisory. When the weather approaches or goes over 100 degrees and it's dry out, the bubbles pop VERY quickly. It can also be unhealthy for the kids to run around in that kind of heat. I've only had to cancel a few parties due to excessive heat in twelve years of doing this, so it is VERY rare.
How big does my yard have to be?
The bigger the better! The kids love to run around and chase the bubbles.
I would say at a bare minimum 15' x 20', but again, the bigger the better. There must be grass or other soft surface, I don't work on hard surfaces like driveways, sorry! Also, overhanging trees or stringed lights can make it impossible for me to do my show. Backyard parties work best with smaller numbers of kids since there is less space.
Does there need to be grass, and will your bubbles harm my grass or kids?
My bubble juice is safe and pH adjusted to be close to that of human tears. Occasionally a child's eyes will sting but this is rare and momentary. Also, I prefer to work on grass or turf for safety reasons because the kids love to chase the bubbles and concrete is too hard of a surface. My bubble solution is safe for grass. With that said, I always recommend folks give their lawn a good watering sometime after the party is over.
What happens if other kids at the park want to join the party?
It's actually pretty common for one or two outside kids to start chasing the bubbles too. It's generally not a problem, but if the outside kids are older/bigger, or if there are a lot of outside kids trying to join, I will temporarily stop the show and let them and their parents know that I'm doing a birthday party and we're trying to keep the kids separate. During covid, I've gotten more strict about keeping outside kids from joining in, but it's often hard for me to keep track of which kids aren't with the party, in which case the client can let me know and I will then take care of it as described above.
What if it's really windy?
High winds and/or dry air will prevent me from doing certain tricks including the REALLY giant bubbles, but I can still put on a fun and exciting show in virtually all weather conditions (except rain). For San Francisco parties: It can get quite WINDY in the late afternoons, particularly in May, June, and July. Having the bubble show begin sometime between 11 am and 12 pm is recommended.
Should I also get a bouncy house, or other entertainment?
This is totally up to you but most of the time I'm the only entertainment and the parties are very successful! If you do get a bouncy house, please try to position it in a way that will allow plenty of space for the kids to chase the bubbles. Also, please have the loud engine/generator positioned on the opposite side so the kids will still be able to hear me talk during my show, thanks!
Should we have you do your show at the beginning of the party or the end?
This is totally up to you, and it comes down to personal preference. But I can tell you what most people have chosen to do and it seems to work very well:
Morning parties - Guests begin arriving at 10:30am, bubbles begin at 11am, and cake one hour later at noon.
Afternoon parties - Bubbles begin at 3pm, cake one hour later at 4pm
These are just the most common scenarios, I can start the bubbles any time that works best for you and your party starting at 11am or later.
Will you donate a free bubble show for my special event?
I wish I could but this is literally how I make my living. I can't afford to donate free shows.
What's in your bubble juice?
I use a proprietary blend of non-toxic ingredients. I've spent years getting it just right, but I still make minor changes depending on weather conditions. If you wish to make your own juice, I recommend you google 'Guar gum bubble recipe'. You should be able to find some great recipes online.