So I've known about this event going on for the last couple of months, but I had no idea what I was walking into.

I'm here with Jenn who's by from fun by the Yard now.

Jenn.

Fun by the yard is a local, company that you have.

So tell me a little bit about what fun by the yard.

Does first of all.

Sure.

We're a local company, a balloon company.

We do yard cards and corporate balloon decor.

So we'll come into your space and do things like this.

Now you're from here, but there's over 85 balloon artists here from all over the world.

All over the world.

Different countries all over the United States.

We've all flown in together to put this event on.

So what is this event exactly?

Because I when you said the big balloon build, I didn't realize it literally is a big balloon building.

How many balloons are there going to be and what's going on?

It's a fully immersive experience.

We've chosen a carnival theme, and there'll be 125,000 balloons to fill this center.

And so when is the event on, how much is it for people to come in?

What's the purpose of it all?

Well, Thursday is our VIP night.

Friday is our gala, and then it's open to the public for a family day on Saturday and then Sunday until noon.

and it's $10 for general admission.

Kids under five are free.

And so why was this put on?

I know we're going to talk to Kirsten from the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Michiana in a second as well about that element.

But why was this even put on?

Like what's the kind of purpose?

Where did it start?

It started in Wales.

And the purpose is to bring joy through balloons.

travels the world.

I was chosen to host here in northern Indiana, and as host, I was able to choose my charity.

And I chose Ronald McDonald House.

Yay!

So why did you choose them?

Because Kirsten is amazing.

This is amazing.

we met through a local rotary group.

We kind of learned about each other, and we realized it was going to be a great partnership.

You know, when my first order, just ten months ago, was being born at Memorial Hospital.

You know, I kept on thinking, I know Ronald McDonald House charities is there.

I really hope I don't have to use it.

But in the back of my head, it was so great.

Kirsten, tell me a little bit about what you do there.

Yeah, you're exactly right.

We never want you to have to use us.

And fortunately, under those circumstances.

But, so our charity is a home away from home for families of sick and injured children ages 21 and younger, all at no cost to the family.

So it's events like this that help us keep those doors open for families and don't have to pay a dime to actually utilize our services.

Because I know, again, Memorial, when we live close to it, we kind of take all the expertise and resources that are there for granted a little bit, right?

Yes, some people do live ten minutes away, but if your baby or your child or an adult is really sick, the last thing you want to do is even be ten minutes away, right?

You want to be right there.

You want to be steps away.

And so we are we are fortunate enough to be right across the street, and we're actually connected by a skyway bridge right over Michigan Street, if you're familiar with the area.

And, it's it's great because we, we just literally are only steps away.

And even from our we have 20 bedrooms on the second floor of the building that we are in.

And you can actually see the hospital from the rooms, which is so powerful because, you know, you are just right there in that visual.

As a parent with a sick or injured child means everything.

Absolutely.

And then, of course, there are people from all over the state that end up being at Memorial as well.

And the cost of hotels being off work, everything adds up.

So it really is a great thing.

So, so Jenn, explain some of the things that are going on here because as you mentioned, carnival theme, but it looks amazing.

Yeah, we're just beginning.

This is day two of our build.

we've got the walls kind of going up.

over here we have a castle.

We have a Ferris wheel.

They'll be all kinds of characters and animals throughout.

Anything that you can imagine you'd see at a carnival, you're going to see here.

And this is only the fifth time that it's been in the United States.

Fifth time to the United States.

It's traveled all over the world, but this is the fifth stop.

It's cool.

So I met I mean, adults and kids will really love this.

I always say 3 to 103.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

The the the adults really, really enjoy it.

Two year olds hate it though.

Well yeah I mean there's no joking.

All right.

So there is so much going on here.

And tell me a little bit about some of the artists as well.

What what goes into creating these.

Because I think sometimes the art history of balloon building might be maybe not as respected for the amount as how sometimes it's kind of lost if you don't understand it.

Yeah, there's tons of different techniques depending on what we want to do.

Lots to learn.

We have specialists in each field that do different things.

So why would a balloon artist come here?

Like if it's $10 and like, are they making money from that or is it a chance to meet other balloon artists or what?

Why would they travel from all over the world to be here?

Yeah, and they do.

They leave their businesses, they travel on their own dime in their own time, and they come here as a community to learn and grow and learn how to work on a larger scale.

So it was a kind of seeing like, would you learn from other people chatting with them about.

Absolutely.

I mean, I've been doing this since 2011, and I still learn from even people new to the industry.

When you kind of network and work with each other, you learn new things.

So nice.

So again, people from all over.

And it started in Wales, the country, not the mammal.

just to, sorry.

clarify, now that I have, I feel like I'm okay saying these jokes, you know.

so it started in Wales.

Do you know why it started like, who started it and what was the purpose?

Joven Davies is the founder of the Big Balloon Build.

He started it there in his community.

There was a school and a hospital for sick children, and he would put on a Christmas event.

the community Joven got bigger and bigger and bigger till he couldn't handle on his own anymore.

And he reached out to the balloon community and said, come help.

So we flew over and helped him.

So you went to the yeah, he's a Jenn come over.

I hopped over, but what do you mean?

Hey, Jenn come over.

Like, how did this guy Stuart in Wales?

Like, did he just know Jenn from fun by the yard?

Jenn with two N's, by the way.

So did he know about that or.

yeah.

Just like I know this girl in South Bend.

She's a big deal.

Yeah, yeah.

So, yeah, we have a very tight knit community.

I can call anyone literally around the world if I need something.

And they will, they'll come and look.

80 of them came.

Wow.

Yeah, that's that's crazy.

I mean, I love it so, Kirsten, are you going to be here over the weekend?

Is Ronald McDonald House going to be here to chat?

Absolutely.

We're living here just like that?

Yeah, just in a different capacity.

So we're in charge of running the events and making sure our ribbon cutting and VIP night on Thursday goes off.

Well, we invited the attendees and we're managing that aspect.

We have our dinner gala Friday nights and then have, like 500 volunteers helping us.

then throughout the Saturday and Sunday general admission days where we're expecting thousands of people to come.

And we're so excited.

Wow, I love it.

So when people walk in, if you were to tell them about Ronald McDonald House, even evening, just kind of like, what's your like little thing that you tell people like just straight out the gate to let them know what they're supporting.

What is that message?

Yeah.

So for us it's that home away from home aspect that we provide.

So our services include, you know, homemade meals at noon and 6:00 every day.

you know, showers.

and we have 20 bedrooms in our house.

So we have everything from lodging to the toiletries that any family would need under the circumstances they're in.

And especially when it comes to the hard times of the year, like the holidays.

Yeah.

If your child is sick or hospitalized for any reason, I mean, you want to make sure that you have those amenities.

And we even have a program we call the North Pole where we actually will invite the families over from Beacon Children's Hospital and let them shop in our FAO Schwarz that we have, our style in the Ronald McDonald House.

And they can choose 7 or 8 items for their children that will actually wrap for them and even deliver them on Christmas Eve.

So we really try to make sure that they're feeling like they have that home away from home aspect.

This is the only time that I've ever heard Christmas mentioned in April that I'm okay.

What if you mentioned this?

And then I know what's fun by the yard?

And besides events like this, when people are driving by in the see graduation signs in the yard and stuff, it's more than likely fun.

But that's me too.

And graduation is our busiest season.

So I've already told people I'm here.

Graduations almost booked.

But yeah, anytime there's yard cards, balloons, fun, that's why I'm fun by the yard.

So what kind of events besides this would you be doing around this time of the year?

we're gearing up for northern name graduation, so I'll be all over campus.

This is done?

Yeah, yeah.

So is it just like putting out yard signs, or is it the balloons for when they go into the ceremony or like, it's mainly balloons.

Yeah, yeah, all the big arches and columns and congratulations.

And, you know, blow them all up yourself, just like, you know, we have special machines.

She's got strong lungs.

Strong lungs.

How did you even get into this, by the way?

Like, were you just sitting at home one day and you're like, I know what I'm going to do.

Like, I think I'm going to play with balloons for a living.

Now.

It's like any other business.

You just you fall into it and you let it grow, and it's amazing.

All right.

Well, thank you so much for being the host, putting this on.

You're kind of a big deal, Jenn.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I love that you've chosen Ronald McDonald House charities because we're so different.

It's one of those organizations that no one wants to use, but everybody should support because you want to make sure that it is there if you ever do.

Exactly, exactly.

All right.

And it's not always doom and gloom.

Sometimes people are just in the hospital and they need to be in there for a certain time.

Absolutely everything works out in the end.

So all right, do people need to buy tickets in advance or just show up?

You can get them online at fun by the yard dot net okay.

If we have any available at the door will sell them, but I'm not sure at this point that we'll have any left, so.

Oh that's good Jenn I like the way you're doing that.

Oh you have this many lives.

Yeah.

All right.

Well, I hope people come out.

What time does it open on Saturday.

So yeah, we're here from 9 to 545 on Saturday and then 9 to 1245 on Sunday.

All right.

Awesome.

Thanks so much for putting it on.

And thanks for standing with us first.

Thank you.

All right.