corporate holiday parties in Kensington.
A corporate holiday party with carnival entertainment is a company's year-end event where the entertainment is a carnival midway: striped booths and games, concessions, music, entertainers and a Santa station. My Little Carnival supplies the carnival. The company arranges the venue, the food and the guest list. This page covers corporate holiday parties in Kensington, for a team looking for a party that does not feel like another banquet.
Kensington Park, Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park and Bird Park are the public spaces a company can ask the city about, and a company with its own lot can use that. The carnival side of a party starts at about 100 guests, so a mid-size team has an easy size to plan around.
My Little Carnival builds the carnival side of a company party and leaves catering and seating to the host.
A company holiday party in Kensington.
A party for 100 to 150 people sits comfortably on a park lawn or a good-sized lot. Eight or so booths in a loop, a concession cluster at the far end, a DJ or sound system and the Santa and Mrs. Claus station fill it without crowding. The balloon arch marks the entrance, and warm string lights give the booths their glow once the afternoon fades.
A planner picks how much of the party is games and how much is entertainers, and the balance depends on who is coming. A booth with prizes gives colleagues a friendly contest, and a magician working the room gives a quieter group something to watch. A game-heavy version puts the weight on booths and prizes. An entertainer-heavy version adds a caricature artist, a walk-around magician, balloon artists and a face painter, and trims a few booths. Each entertainer is a separate line in the quote, so the planner sees what a magician or a caricature artist adds before deciding. Staff children can have a jumper if the ground allows, and an adults-only party can leave the inflatables and the Santa station out entirely.
What's typically included.
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Booths and games.
Striped 10x10 booths with traditional and large-scale games, plus prizes.
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Seven concessions.
Cotton candy, popcorn, churros, nachos, pretzels, snow cones and caramel apples.
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DJ or sound system.
Music and announcements for the party.
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Entertainers.
Walk-around magicians, caricature artists, balloon artists, face painters, jugglers and stilt walkers.
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Santa station.
Santa and Mrs. Claus with a photo-op backdrop for staff families.
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Inflatables.
Jumpers for children, if families are invited and the site has room.
Typical timeline for corporate holiday parties in Kensington.
- 1
Ten weeks out
The planner names a site and a date and gives My Little Carnival a headcount.
- 2
Six weeks out
Booths and entertainers are chosen, and a 50% deposit holds the date.
- 3
Week of
My Little Carnival sends the certificate of insurance and the site contact confirms load-in.
- 4
Party day
The crew builds the layout, the party runs, and the site is cleared afterward.
Specifics for Kensington.
- Cost by size: The quote is built from the booths, entertainers and headcount. About 100 to 150 people costs $4,000 to $10,000. For 200 to 400 people it is $10,000 to $25,000, and larger companies pay $25,000 to $40,000 or more.
- Park sites: Kensington Park, Ward Canyon Neighborhood Park and Bird Park need reservations from the city, and the host makes them. My Little Carnival provides paperwork a permit asks for.
- Company lots: The owner's approval and a load-in time come first. Parking is the next question, since the midway takes space cars would otherwise use, and a loop along one edge keeps that to a minimum.
- Meals and drinks: Catering, drinks of any kind, tables and chairs are the host's job.
- Tents and warmth: Tents beyond our booths and heating are the host's to arrange.
- Power: My Little Carnival can run a generator for our own equipment if power falls short.
Common questions.
How many guests do we need?
The carnival side is sized from about 100 guests. Smaller gatherings can book a custom event starting around $1,500.
What do larger parties cost?
200 to 400 people costs about $10,000 to $25,000, and larger companies $25,000 to $40,000 or more.
How do we hold the date?
A 50% deposit holds the date. The planner can ask for the quote in writing first and confirm the booth list before paying it.
Can we serve dinner?
The host can. My Little Carnival runs the seven concessions and does not cater, so a sit-down dinner is arranged with a caterer, and the carnival can be scheduled before or after the meal.
Is the Santa station optional?
Yes. Include it for staff families and leave it out for an adult party.
Can it run on a park lawn?
Yes, with the city's reservation, which the host arranges. My Little Carnival provides the paperwork a permit asks for, and the planner should ask the city which part of the lawn takes booths.
About this guide.
This local guide to corporate holiday parties in Kensington was compiled by My Little Carnival, a division of My Little Carnival. My Little Carnival produces winter-themed carnival events, backyard birthdays, and school carnivals across San Diego County, scaling each setup to the site (park lawn, driveway, or small lot) that a Kensington host actually has.
Helpful local references: City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department · San Diego Unified School District
Corporate Holiday Parties in nearby cities.
Planning a company holiday party in Kensington?
Send My Little Carnival a headcount and a site, and we will quote the booths, music and entertainers.
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