If you’re planning a shopping plaza or outdoor retail event, here are some of the most popular Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas we’ve seen over the past decade! Whether you’re organizing a grand opening, sidewalk festival, or family weekend, you’ll find plenty of shopping center entertainment inspiration to make your event unforgettable.

Kaleidoscope has entertained at hundreds public events, and are long-standing partners of upscale outdoor shopping malls like 3rd Ave in Burlington MA; Blue Back Square in West Hartford CT; Evergreen Walk in South Windsor CT; and the Town Square at Waterville Valley, NH.

We’re proud New Englanders who love our region’s traditions (like niche town festivals) and are even more proud to be the highest-rated event entertainment agency in the entire US, despite only serving our six tiny states!

Here are our favorite Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas, organized into three categories: booth & tent activations, strolling performers, and seasonal or holiday specials — perfect for bringing fresh shopping center entertainment inspiration to your next event.

Booth & Tent Entertainment Ideas for Outdoor Shopping Centers

Face Painting & Balloon Twisting

AAge Range: Toddlers through tweens (and even plenty of teens and adults!)

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Full face paint designs or multi-balloon creations: 10–12 guests per hour
• Speedy face designs or simple balloons: 15–20 guests per hour

Number of Artists Available: Up to 20 per event

At a Glance: Our artists set up at branded booths or tents and keep lines moving quickly with bright, engaging designs that appeal to all ages.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: This is our most popular option for retail plazas and outdoor shopping events! Our speedy face painting menu is specially designed to handle high-volume crowds — averaging 15–20 faces per hour, with some artists reaching nearly 30. With up to 20 artists available, we’re unmatched in both scale and efficiency. It’s a proven way to attract families, boost foot traffic, and create a lively, colorful atmosphere on a budget.

Not Recommended For: Face paint isn’t ideal for events with water features or splash zones, and balloons can be tricky for events with lots of hands-on activities (since parents often end up holding them). That said, these remain our most-requested entertainment options for outdoor shopping center events of all sizes!

Logistical Considerations: Face painters need 1 table and 2 chairs per painter. Balloon twisters just need some table space and 1 chair per twister. Besides that, we’re pretty self-contained!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FACE PAINTING INGREDIENTS & SAFETY AND OUR SPEEDY MENUS HERE!

Caricatures

Age Range: Upper elementary, tweens, teens, and adults

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist: Up to 10 caricatures per hour

Number of Artists Available: Up to 8 per event

At a Glance: Our caricature artists create fun, personalized cartoon portraits that guests can take home as a keepsake. To keep lines moving quickly — a must for large-scale retail events — we focus on black-and-white bust caricatures, allowing more guests to be drawn each hour without sacrificing quality or charm.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Caricatures are always a hit — they’re the ultimate keepsake and conversation starter! We can even design custom templates featuring your shopping center’s logo, seasonal branding, or event theme, turning every drawing into a mini piece of marketing. It’s the perfect way to combine art, entertainment, and brand visibility at once.

Not Recommended For: Events centered on very young children, who may struggle to sit still long enough for their turn (about six minutes per drawing).

Logistical Considerations: Each caricature artist needs 1 table at dining-height (no high tops or children’s tables) with 3 chairs for them and guests.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CARICATURES HERE!

4 Types of Temporary Tattoos

Age Range:

• Glitter tattoos: toddlers through adults
• Airbrush tattoos: upper elementary through adults
• Flash tattoos: tweens, teens, adults
• Henna: ages 12+ (it can get messy on younger kids)

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Flash tattoos: up to 25 guests per hour
• Henna (single finger designs): up to 25 guests per hour
• Henna (full hand designs) 10-12 guests per hour

Number of Artists Available:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 20 artists
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 15 artists
• Flash tattoos: up to 10 artists
• Hennaa: up to 5 artists

At a Glance: Guests can mix and match from a variety of temporary tattoo options! Our built-for-speed menus keep lines moving — attendees simply pick a design and have it applied in seconds. Tattoos can last anywhere from a few days (glitter or flash) to about a week (airbrush or henna), and most remove easily with rubbing alcohol (except henna).

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Temporary tattoo stations are fantastic Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas because they appeal to all ages and keep guests engaged without long wait times. They’re especially useful as “line-buster” activities that keep visitors entertained while they shop, explore, or wait for other attractions — providing fun, flexible shopping center entertainment inspiration for high-traffic events.

Not Recommended For: Marketing-specific activations where branding or crowd draw is the primary goal — in those cases, face painting and balloon twisting are usually more visible attention-getters.

Logistical Considerations: Each temporary tattoo artist requires one table and two chairs. Airbrush tattoo stations also need access to a standard three-prong electrical outlet, while glitter, flash, and henna options are completely self-contained.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR TEMPORARY TATTOOS HERE!

Cartoon Meet and Greets

Age Range: Toddlers and early elementary-age children

Number of Guests Entertained Per Mascot: Up to 30 guests per hour

Number of Mascots Available: Our roster includes over a dozen beloved characters, with up to six mascot performers available for any single event. (Ask us for our current lineup!)

At a Glance: Bring theme park magic right to your shopping center with our larger-than-life cartoon mascots! These friendly characters greet families, pose for photos, and create memorable moments that delight kids and parents alike.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Mascot meet-and-greets are one of the most powerful Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas for drawing young families and boosting foot traffic. They create a natural photo opportunity that fuels organic social media sharing — making them both a crowd favorite and a cost-effective marketing tool for your plaza or retail district.

Not Recommended For: Stage performances or events held in extreme heat. Mascots can safely appear on stage for introductions but cannot perform detailed activities like face painting, balloon twisting, or crafts. Since costume interiors can be up to 20°F warmer than the outdoor temperature, performers should be scheduled for regular shade and cooling breaks during summer events.

Logistical Considerations: Mascots require an adult handler from your team (or we can provide one); one 15min break per every contracted hour (so a 2hr contract from 2:00-4:00p would include two 15min breaks during that time); and a space to change/break. We are love our professional actors and it’s extremely important to us that they stay safe at events. Please read more about mascot safety here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MASCOTS HERE!

Tie-Dye T-Shirt Make-and-Take

Age Range: Elementary through adult

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Kids: One tie-dye artist can assist up to 6 kids at a time, reaching approximately 25 participants per hour.
• Teens & Adults: One tie-dye artist can assist up to 10 guests at a time, averaging about 40 participants per hour.

At a Glance: Our tie-dye artists guide guests through an easy, low-mess process to band, spray, and bag their own colorful apparel. This hands-on, make-and-take activity typically takes about six minutes per guest when there’s no line — making it a great balance between creativity and efficiency.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Interactive “make-and-take” experiences like tie-dye stations are among the most engaging Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas you can offer. They encourage guests to stay longer, create a sense of community, and give them something memorable to take home — perfect shopping center entertainment inspiration for boosting dwell time and repeat visits.

Not Recommended For: Formal events, settings where mess must be avoided (though our spray-dye method is much cleaner than traditional tie-dye), or entertainment for children under six who may not yet have the motor skills for spraying.

Logistical Considerations: Each tie-dye setup requires 2–3 long folding tables (we provide drop cloths). Guests can bag and take their tie-dye items home immediately, or you can provide one additional long table per 15 participants as a drying station. (We supply gallon bags with name tags for easy transport.)an traditional tie-dye), or entertainment for kids under 6 who may not have the motor skills to spray.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TIE-DYE HERE!

Strolling Performers for Outdoor Shopping Center Entertainment Ideas

Strolling magicians

Age Range: Toddlers through adults

Number of Guests Entertained Per Magician: Approximately 6–7 tricks per hour, performed up-close for small groups of up to 10 guests per trick

Number of Performers Available: Our magicians are truly one-of-a-kind, with up to four available on any given day

At a Glance: Our strolling magicians move throughout your event, performing close-up magic and engaging guests wherever they are. This adds a spontaneous, personal touch that brings energy and curiosity to even the largest gatherings.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: A strolling magician is one of the most memorable Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas because it adds a sense of wonder and surprise to everyday spaces. Guests love the unexpected delight of seeing professional magic up close — it’s an easy way to spark smiles, create shareable moments, and elevate the guest experience across your plaza or retail district.

Not Recommended For: Fully seated or formal events such as galas or dinners. While magicians can stroll between dining tables, the magic works best in a dynamic, festival-style environment where guests are mingling and exploring.

Logistical Considerations: Our magicians are highly flexible and require minimal setup. They typically need only a small area to store extra props or materials. If parking is available nearby, they can easily manage everything from their vehicle — making this one of the easiest, most adaptable forms of shopping center entertainment to add to your lineup.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MAGICIANS HERE!

Strolling circus artists

Age Range: All ages

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist: Stilt walkers, clowns, and jugglers are more about creating atmosphere than performing for a specific number of guests. Just one or two performers can make a big visual impact across your entire event.

Number of Performers Available: This is one of our most specialized offerings, with 3–4 circus performers available on any given day.

At a Glance: Our stilt walkers, clowns, and jugglers roam through your event, adding color, motion, and energy to the space. They’re the perfect “wow factor” for carnival-themed festivals, shopping center celebrations, or seasonal events.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Circus performers are an easy, high-impact way to create a lively and immersive environment — ideal for drawing attention from every corner of your property. One or two roaming performers can transform the entire vibe of your plaza or promenade, making this one of the most cost-effective Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas for boosting energy and excitement.

Not Recommended For: Open-field, beach, or campground settings where uneven ground can make walking acts unsafe.

Logistical Considerations: Clowns and jugglers are completely self-contained. Stilt walkers, however, require one 15-minute break per contracted hour (for example, a 2:00–4:00 p.m. booking includes two breaks) and a tall, sturdy surface such as a bar top, car roof, or stage edge to safely mount their stilts. For safety, stilts should only be used on flat blacktop or indoor flooring — never on sand, dirt, or uneven grass.

LEARN MORE STILT WALKER SAFETY HERE!

4 Outdoor Shopping Center Holiday Event Examples

Easter, Purim, and Spring Celebrations

AAge Range: Elementary-aged kids

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Easter Bunny Visits: Up to 30 children per hour
• Face Painting: 10–12 children per hour
• Balloon Twisting: 10–12 children per hour

Number of Performers Available:

• Up to 4 Easter Bunnies available
• Up to 20 face painters or balloon twisters available

At a Glance: Welcome spring in style with a visit from the Easter Bunny and seasonal activities that keep families smiling! Our team offers themed face painting and balloon twisting menus tailored for spring celebrations. (We also provide plenty of inclusive, secular spring and Purim designs so every family feels welcome.)

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: After a long New England winter, families are eager to get outside again — and nothing brings them together like a cheerful spring celebration. A festive Easter Bunny meet-and-greet combined with colorful booths and live entertainment is the perfect way to boost foot traffic and re-energize your plaza. It’s one of our favorite Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas for kicking off the warm-weather season and creating buzz across your community.

Logistical Considerations: If you’d like our artists to bring spring-specific menus or themed options, please let our office know when booking so we can tailor the experience to your event.

Mascots (including the Easter Bunny) require an adult handler from your team (or we can provide one); one 15min break per every contracted hour (so a 2hr contract from 2:00-4:00p would include two 15min breaks during that time); and a space to change/break. We are love our professional actors and it’s extremely important to us that they stay safe at events. Please read more about mascot safety here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASTER & SPRINGTIME ENTERTAINMENT HERE!

Halloween and Fall Celebrations

Age Range:

• Fall & Halloween Kids Face Painting & Balloon Twisting: Toddler, elementary kids, and families
• Day of the Dead Deluxe Face Painting: Tweens, teens, and adults (but can be enjoyed by kids as well)
• Tarot & Palm Reading: Ages 16+ only (younger kids may not understand the difference between metaphor and reality)
• Strolling Magicians: All ages

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Fall & Halloween Kids Face Painting & Balloon Twisting: 10-12 full designs or 15-20 speedy designs
• Day of the Dead Deluxe Face Painting: 10 guests per hour
• Tarot & Palm Reading: Up to 10 guests per hour
• Strolling Magicians: About 6-7 tricks per hour, up-close with groups of up to 10 people per trick

Number of Artists Available:

• Fall & Halloween Kids Face Painting & Balloon Twisting: Up to 20
• Day of the Dead Deluxe Face Painting: Up to 10
• Tarot & Palm Reading: Up to 6
• Strolling Magicians: Our magicians are all unique, but we have several available on any given day

At a Glance: Throw a fall festival that mixes traditions and is full of fall color! Our special fall products are never-scary and family-friendly and our special seasonal menus feature spooky hints at Halloween while still having plenty of entertainment options for families who don’t celebrate it.

Why We Love it for Outdoor Shopping Events: We love fall! We love New England! We would love to celebrate the best season to be a New Englander with you!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FALL ENTERTAINMENT HERE!

Christmas, Hanukkah, and Winter Holidays

Age Range: Toddlers, elementary school kids, and families

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Santa Meet-and-Greet: Up to 30 kids per hour
• Holiday face painting and balloon twisting: 10-12 guests per hour
• Holiday speedy face painting & simple balloons: 15-20 guests per hour
• Christmas elf add-ons: turn any of your entertainers into elves! (Guests per hour depend on art type.)

Number of Artists Available:

• Up to 1 Santa per event
• Up to 15 elves for face painting, balloon twisting, temporary tattoos, or caricatures

At a Glance: Bring festive magic to your shopping center this winter! We offer Santa visits, cheerful elves, and classic holiday designs — but we also know that New England’s communities are beautifully diverse. Every one of our seasonal entertainment menus includes Christmas, Hanukkah, and secular winter options so every child feels welcome and included.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Nothing draws families to a plaza faster than a free photo with Santa! Pair that with themed face painting, balloon twisting, and other family-friendly attractions, and you’ve got one of the most crowd-pleasing Outdoor Shopping Center Event Entertainment Ideas of the year. Our inclusive approach ensures that every guest — regardless of background or tradition — enjoys a joyful winter experience, making your shopping center the heart of the season.

Logistical Considerations: Santa will need a sturdy chair for meet-and-greets. We must be informed at least one week in advance if your event is outdoors or indoors so we can ship heated layers for our performers. For outdoor events, our artists must be positioned near outdoor heaters for safety. (We love our performers and keeping them safe is our #1 priority!)

LEARN MORE CHRISTMAS AND HANNUKAH EVENTS HERE!

Patriotic Holidays

Age Range: All ages

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Face painting: 10-12 guests per hour
• Balloon twisting: 10-12 guests per hour

*Note, Patriotic menus are only available in full face designs and multi-balloon designs, not speedy designs, in order to incorporate red white and blue into everything.

Number of Artists Available: Up to 20

At a Glance: Our flexible red, white, and blue menus are perfect for three day weekends–Labor Day, 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day are all covered with one unique menu! National Night Out, Touch a Truck, or a military discount event? Those too! Available for both face painting and balloon twisting.

Why We Love It for Outdoor Shopping Center Events: Turning your shopping center into a popular shopping destination often includes making it feel like an accessible, “third place” that’s part of the local community. These menus were engineered with outdoor shopping centers in mind to help create that small-time-festival feel and make you feel woven into your local town in the most New England way possible.

Logistical Considerations: If you want our artists to come prepared with a patriotic menu, please notify us at the time of booking so we can be prepared.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PATRIOTIC HOLIDAY OFFERINGS HERE!

If you’re looking for end of the year school party ideas to celebrate elementary school graduation, fundraise for your PTO, or just bring your community together, we’d love to inspire you!

As New England’s most popular event entertainment company (and the highest-rated in the US, despite only servicing our 6 little states!), here are our favorite end of year school party ideas for elementary schools!

8 Amazing End of Year School Party Ideas for Elementary Schools

Face Painting & Balloon Twisting

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: 

• Full face paint designs or multi-balloon designs: 10-12 guests
• Speedy face designs or simple balloons: 15-20 guests

Number of Artists Available: Up to 20 per event

At a Glance: Our artists set up at a booth or tent and move quickly through a line of kids!

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: These are *the* classic entertainment that kids will want to line up for. Plus, with our special speedy menus, we can get through a huge amount of them very quickly! Great for impatient younger siblings and tight budgets.

Logistical Considerations: Face painters need 1 table and 2 chairs per painter. Balloon twisters just need some table space and 1 chair per twister. Besides that, we’re pretty self-contained!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FACE PAINTING INGREDIENTS & SAFETY AND OUR SPEEDY MENUS HERE!

Cartoon Character Meet & Greets

Number of Guests Entertained Per Mascot: Up to 30 per hour

Number of Mascots Available: We typically have about a dozen characters in our roster and up to 6 mascot actors available on any given day. Check out our current line up here.

At a Glance: Cartoon mascots come for a theme-park style meet-and-greet!

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: Younger siblings will love to meet their favorite characters while, especially ones who are too young for other activities like face painting or foam parties.

Logistical Considerations: Mascots require an adult handler from your team (or we can provide one); one 15min break per every contracted hour (so a 2hr contract from 2:00-4:00p would include two 15min breaks during that time); and a space to change/break. We are love our professional actors and it’s extremely important to us that they stay safe at events. Please read more about mascot safety here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MASCOTS HERE!

Hair Art

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: Up to 20 per artist.

Number of Artists Available: Up to 10 artists available.

At a Glance: Kids choose between hair tinsel, hair chalk, and hair glitter to get a custom ‘do!

Special Notes: Hair chalk is popular for all hair lengths and genders! Often parents worry that this activity won’t be for boys, but we promise they love the hair chalk as much as anyone else.

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: Hair art is a fast alternative to face painting, and great for kids who aren’t interested in face painting. (Especially the ones who think they’re “too old” for little kid stuff!)

Logistical Considerations: If your event is indoors, please make sure it’s ok with the school or venue to use glitter.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HAIR ART HERE!

Foam Parties

Number of Students Entertained: 

• 1 cannon at a time: Up to 25 kids per “wave” of dancing
• 2 cannons at a time: Up to 50 kids per “wave” of dancing
• Kids typically want to spend 15-30min in the foam before moving onto the next activity

Number of Artists Available: While we have up to 3 cannons available, we recommend only hiring a maximum of 2 cannons at a time to keep groups of kids smaller (and safer) at any one time.

At a Glance: Our trained foam techs will blast music and bunches of bubbles to create a soapy, over-the-top dance party!

Special Notes:  Safety is the #1 priority for foam! Parent volunteers or staff must be present at all times. Children will be instructed on how to act safetly in the foam, but our techs are not baby sitters or life guards.

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: 

Logistical Considerations: Foam should be sprayed in a 50 ‘ x 50′ flat area (black top or lawn) with adequate drainage and not hidden tripping hazards (sprinklers, rocks, stumps, toys, playground materials, curbs, drains). Foam techs must be placed within 100′ of water spigots and 100’ of grounded electricity. The electrical must be 3-pronged, grounded, and on a unique breaker (breaker cannot be combined with other rentals or utilities). Read more about foam requirements on our foam site.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FOAM ON OUR FOAM SITE HERE!

3 Types of Temporary Tattoos

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Flash tattoos: up to 25 guests per hour

Number of Artists Available:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 20 artists
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 15 artists
• Flash tattoos: up to 10 artists

At a Glance: Mix and match any temporary tattoos you want! Guests will line up, pick a tattoo from our built-for-speed menus, and have it quickly applied to them. Tattoos last anywhere from a few days (glitter, flash) up to a week (airbrush, henna) but most can be easily removed with rubbing alcohol (except henna).

Special Notes: We do not recommend henna tattoos for this age group since it can be very messy. So you’ll see it listed on our site, but not on this page 🙂

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: Temporary tattoos are value-friendly line-busters for when you need a ton of kids entertained on a tight budget!

Logistical Considerations: Temporary tattoo artists need 1 table and 2 chairs per artist. Airbrush tattoos additionally *require* a 3-prong electrical outlet near their station. (Glitter, flash, and henna are self-contained.)

LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR TEMPORARY TATTOOS HERE!

Strolling Magicians

Number of Students Entertained Per Magician: About 6-7 tricks per hour, up-close with groups of up to 10 people per trick

Number of Magicians Available: Our magicians are one of a kind, but on any given day, we have up to 4 available.

At a Glance: Our magicians walk through your party performing up-close tricks for event-goers. It’s a special, intimate touch on large events!

Special Notes: Some of our magicians are able to dress up in costumed characters for your event. Ask our office while booking!

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties:  In our decade+ of experience, your end of year school event is likey not booking enough entertainment for the amount of kids you have and the lines will be long. (We get it, you had to fundraise and the budget is tight!) Strolling magic is a great way to make your lines more interesting while kids wait in them and double the fun kids have.

Logistical Considerations: Our magicians need a small spot to stash extra items, but if they can park close to where they’re strolling, they can always leave things in their car. This is one of our most flexible types of entertainment!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MAGICIANS HERE!

Kids DJ

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: Our DJ can bring speakers for up to your entire elementary school! Just make sure you speak with us about the number of kids you expect while booking 🙂

Number of Artists Available: You’ll only need one DJ for your event, but if you want things like structured games or a photobooth, we can send assistants.

At a Glance: Our DJ will come with huge speakers and a library of family-friendly music for your event. We can also MC announcements or graduating speeches–just ask!

Special Notes: If you want upgrades like lighting, monitors, photobooths, or games ask us at the time of booking.

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: Music is one of those details that MAKES a party!

Logistical Considerations: Our DJ will need access to power very close by to their station. Please give ou office as many details about your party’s size and venue when booking so we can make sure we bring the right equipment. You MUST specify if the event is outdoors at the time of booking so that our DJ can provide a tent rental to keep equipment from overheating.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DJ SERVICES HERE!

Tie-Dye Make-and-Take

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: For kids, one tie-dye artist can assist up to 6 kids at a time and up to 25 kids per hour. (For teens and adults, this number is higher as they need less assistance.)

Number of Artists Available:  Up to 8 tie-dye artists available

At a Glance: Our tie-dye artists help kids band, spray, and bag tie-dye apparel! This low-mess solution is the perfect make-and-take station that, if there’s no line, takes guests about 6 minutes to move through and complete.

Special Notes: Want to turn tie-dye into a great keepsake? Pre-order shirts with your class year, school logo, or mascot on it for students to grab and custom-dye!

Why We Love it for End of Year School Parties: We love any activity that emphasizes hands-on play as an alternative to screens. And this is our favorite make-and-take station!

Logistical Considerations: Tie-Dye needs at least 2-3 long folding tables (we will provide drop cloths). Students should either plan to take their tie-dye with them in a bag, or you should prepare another 1 long folding table per 15 guests as a drying station. (We will provide gallon bags with name tags.)

LEARN MORE ABOUT TIE-DYE HERE!

If you’re looking for Project Graduation event entertainment ideas, here are our top ones! From night-club-inspired parties to nostalgic throwbacks, our Safe Grad party ideas will be a hit with your high school students.

Safe Grads are an amazing alternative party to keep high school students safe on their graduation night, but did you know they originated in New England? Launched for the first time in Oxford Hills, Maine in the 1980s, it’s since become a national movement to keep kids safe after graduating high school while celebrating their accomplishments.

As a proudly New England local event entertainment company that services CT, MA, RI, NH, and parts of ME and VT, these are some of our favorite events to do of the year.

Here’s our definitive list of our favorite project graduation ideas!

8 Perfect Project Graduation Entertainment Ideas

UV & LED Face Painting & Balloon Twisting

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: 

• UV face painting: 10-12 faces per hour
• LED simple balloon twisting: 15-20 designs per hour

Number of Artists Available: Up to 10 per type of entertainment

At a Glance: Make your safe grad glow with a “night club” inspired remix on these childhood favorites! The perfect blend of silly fun and eye-catching interest for tweens and teens.

Special Notes: UV face and body painting does require ultraviolet / blacklights. You can provide them for your event or rent them for the duration that our artists are at your event.

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: If it feels like your teens are growing up too fast, this is the perfect entertainment that mixes little-kid-nostalgia with something more “grown up” that feels like it should be at a nightclub.

Logistical Considerations: UV paint and LED balloons work best in dark places. If an area of your event is dark except for ultraviolet / blacklights or decorative lights, that’s the perfect spot. If you’re using our light rental services, just make sure we have access to 3-pronged outlets. (And just note that artists will need tables and chairs.)

LEARN MORE ABOUT UV & LED ENTERTAINMENT HERE!

Caricatures

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: Up to 10 guests drawn per hour

Number of Artists Available: Up to 8 per event

At a Glance: Our caricature artists will draw fun cartoons of your students. To maximize speed (a constant consideration since we specialize in large events), we limit our caricatures to black and white busts to get more heads drawn per hour.

Special Notes: Want to add a pre-printed design with your school’s logo, mascot, or graduating class? Ask our office about adding custom printed paper to your order!

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: Caricatures are the PERFECT keepsake for your students’ once-in-a-lifetime event. They’re perfect for this age range and one of the most popular things we provide at graduation parties.

Logistical Considerations: Each caricature artist needs 1 table at dining-height (no high tops or children’s tables) with 3 chairs for them and guests.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CARICATURES HERE!

4 Types of Temporary Tattoos

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 30 tattoos per hour
• Flash tattoos: up to 25 guests per hour
• Henna (single finger designs): up to 25 guests per hour
• Henna (full hand designs) 10-12 guests per hour

Number of Artists Available:

• Glitter tattoos: up to 20 artists
• Airbrush tattoos: up to 15 artists
• Flash tattoos: up to 10 artists
• Hennaa: up to 5 artists

At a Glance: Mix and match any temporary tattoos you want! Students will line up, pick a tattoo from our menus, and have it applied to them. Tattoos last anywhere from a few days (glitter, flash) up to a week (airbrush, henna) but most can be easily removed with rubbing alcohol (except henna).

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation:  Students can lay on the tattoos as few or as many as they want. Temporary tattoo stations are the perfect quick-drop-by activity, or students can get a full sleeve from one of our artists. They’re a fun mix of nostalgia and feeling grown-up!

Logistical Considerations: Temporary tattoo artists need 1 table and 2 chairs per artist. Airbrush tattoos additionally *require* a 3-prong electrical outlet near their station. (Glitter, flash, and henna are self-contained.)

LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR TEMPORARY TATTOOS HERE!

Glitter Looks

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: Up to 15 students per hour

Number of Artists Available: Up to 20 artists available

At a Glance: Like with face painting, students line up to get a custom look. Great for all genders!

Special Notes: Can’t decide between face paint and glitter looks? Talk to our office about how you can combine them for your event.

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: Teens and young adults who often feel too old for face painting love our glitter looks! They’re fun for all genders and an “adult” spin on something classic as your students see off their childhood at your Project Safe Grad!

Logistical Considerations: Glitter looks artists need 1 table and 2 chairs per artist. For indoor events, you should check with your school or venue to make sure they allow glitter in their venue.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GLITTER LOOKS HERE!

Strolling Mentalism

Number of Students Entertained Per Mentalist: About 6-7 tricks per hour, up-close with groups of up to 10 people per trick

Number of Artists Available: We have 1-2 mentalists available at any given time, and they can work in pairs for your event

At a Glance: Our mentalists will walk throughout your event to perform up-close mind-reading using mystical objects like tarot cards, crystals, essential oils, and jewelry.

Special Notes: Mentalists use psychology, not any magic or witchcraft, and will work to keep your event feeling positive and uplifting.

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: While students are waiting in lines for other types of entertainment, we love mentalism as a strolling experience that can make every part of your Project Graduation fun–even the lines!

Logistical Considerations: Our mentalists need a small spot to stash extra items, but if they can park close to where they’re strolling, they can always leave things in their car. This is one of our most flexible types of entertainment!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MAGICIANS HERE!

Tarot & Palm Reading

Number of Students Entertained Per Artist: Up to 10 per hour

Number of Artists Available:  Up to 6 psychics available per event

At a Glance: Students drop by our psychic station for tarot or palm reading. They’re invited to ask any questions and bring their personal beliefs to the experience. Our psychics will do quick 3-card or 4-line readings if there is a line, or can do longer readings if there is time.

Special Notes: Students of any religion or skepticism are invited to this experience! Our tarot and palm readers want to create a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone and will not challenge any students’ beliefs; predict the future; talk to the dead; or give advice. Our readings are open-ended and optimistic with the belief that we all have the ability to shape our lives and futures 🙂

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: Tarot and palm reading are extremely popular with teens and young adults. It’s one of our most sought-after experiences for Project Graduations, but sells out very quickly in June every year because of this.

Logistical Considerations: Tarot and palm readers need 1 table and 2 chairs placed far away from the loud chaos of the rest of the event so we can have a quiet conversation with your students.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PSYCHIC PARTY PACKAGES HERE!

Karaoke Station & Party DJ

Number of Students Entertained Per Station: 

• Karaoke station: up to 20 songs per hour with up to 4 microphones per song
• Party DJ: we can bring speakers for up to 600 students

Number of DJs Available: For your event we will only need 1 DJ, but if you want to add things like games with prizes, photo booths, or other DJ services our DJ can bring assistants.

At a Glance: 

• Karaoke station: Put aside a separate room or area. Our DJ will provide playlists, screens/projectors (as appropriate) and up to 4 wireless mics so students can sing their hearts out!
• Party DJ: Our DJ will set up with speakers for your entire event! From playlists to requests, our DJs can make sure your students hear the music they love at their Safe Grad night!

Special Notes: Party DJs and karaoke stations are separate packages. If you want both, please specify with our office while booking. We will either need to create a schedule of set up / break downs to run one station after the other, or provide 2 DJs for your event.

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: Karaoke is another great example of an “adult” feeling entertainment that’s just as fun for high school students as when they were in elementary school.

Logistical Considerations: Our DJ will need access to power very close by to their station. Please give ou office as many details about your party’s size and venue when booking so we can make sure we bring the right equipment.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DJ SERVICES HERE!

Tie-Dye Make-and-Take

Number of Guests Entertained Per Artist: For teens and young adults, one tie-dye artist can assist up to 10 at a time and up to 40 high school age per hour. (For younger children, this number is much lower as they need more help.)

At a Glance: Our tie-dye artists help guests band, spray, and bag tie-dye apparel! This low-mess solution is the perfect make-and-take station that, if there’s no line, takes guests about 6 minutes to move through and complete. 

Special Notes: Want to turn tie-dye into a great keepsake? Pre-order shirts with your class year, school logo, or mascot on it for students to grab and custom-dye!

Why We Love it for Safe Grad / Project Graduation: We love any activity that emphasizes hands-on play as an alternative to screens. And this is our favorite make-and-take station!

Logistical Considerations: Tie-Dye needs at least 2-3 long folding tables (we will provide drop cloths). Students should either plan to take their tie-dye with them in a bag, or you should prepare another 1 long folding table per 15 guests as a drying station. (We will provide gallon bags with name tags.)

LEARN MORE ABOUT TIE-DYE HERE!