The Season of Pumpkin Spice Everything is Here
I know I'm in the minority here, especially in Upstate New York. But as an avid aficionado of summer, I've never been all too keen on the start of fall ... an event that seems to happen earlier and earlier each year, I might add. Here we are in the middle of August, and already our fun summer things are being hijacked by dreadful fall things.
I wouldn't mind all of the fall hoopla, but it keeps coming earlier and earlier each year. People with sunburns making plans for fall festivals is nothing short of madness. We should thoroughly enjoy the season we're in and milk it for all its worth before preparing for the next season, right? Am I really the only person left who thinks Fall can wait?
But it's not going to wait. In Buffalo, Wegmans grocery stores are already selling Halloween candy. Advertisements for cider mills and pumpkin farms are making their appearances on social media and television. People are already telling me about their Halloween plans. One of my friends just put up photos on Facebook of her family at a pumpkin farm. A pumpkin farm! In August!
And Then There's the Pumpkin Spice.
I've never really understood it, but we've gone pumpkin spice crazy in this country in recent years. They flavor literally everything with pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice yogurt pretzels? Yup, that's a thing. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios? Sure, why not. And I'm sure whoever thought up creating a pumpkin pie spice latte for dogs was probably a bit happier with themselves than they should've been, I'd wager.
And now we're in that season again. Dairy Queen is on the cusp of rolling out their Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. There's suddenly such a thing as Pumpkin Spice Spam. And Starbucks is reportedly bringing back their famed pumpkin spice latte (for humans) before the end of August, the earliest they've ever put it out.
People keep bumping the start of Fall deeper and deeper into summer. At this rate, we're just a few years away from folks going on hay rides while wearing UGG boots and vests in early July. It's madness, I tell you!
Look, I'm not a grump. I get that people enjoy Fall, and that's fine. I just want to enjoy as much summer as I can before Fall comes. We still thankfully have sunroof-open-cruising-by-the-shore weather. All of the leaves are still green. A butterfly was sitting on my car yesterday. It's still summer. And I think those of us who love summer should get to enjoy it without enduring a constant barrage of reminders that it's about to end, you know?
The Start of Fall Means the Start of Fun Fall Games
Despite my loudest foot-stomping efforts, the Starks of Winterfell are always inevitably right. Winter is coming. And we can't get to winter without fall. No amount of complaining will keep the weather nice, so I may as well hop on the bandwagon, right?
There are definitely things I love about Fall. Halloween and Thanksgiving are two of my top three favorite holidays. Despite my earlier protests, I do love a slice of pumpkin pie with a big dollop of whipped cream on top (the perfect whipped cream to pie ratio, in case anyone is wondering, is "I can't see the pie"). And my wife has me stoked to try an Earl Gray tea flavored ice cream from Lake Effect, an ice cream place here in Buffalo (and no, I will not be trying ice cream with pumpkin spice flavoring, ever).
Another thing I love about fall? Fall games! I've personally always associated certain games and activities with fall. Sealed air frame games and carnival games are fun all year long and they're great for summer, but something about the fall just makes me want to play carnival style games. And it just so happens Tent and Table carries those sorts of games.
So, in an effort to minimize my own whining and let people enjoy the coming of fall, I figured I'd put together this list of fun sealed air frame games, carnival games, and commercial inflatables that go well with Fall themes and events. They're great games for kids and easily deployed at festivals, carnivals, schools, churches, or in the backyard.
1. Rainbow Deluxe Castle Bounce House Slide Combo w/ Blower
When I first saw our Rainbow Deluxe bounce castle, it made me think of fall pretty much instantly. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the prominence of the orange and yellow tones, gently offset with green and purple, like that photo of foliage to the left. But if I personally had to choose one bounce house that captures the essence of fall, I think this is the one that does it. This bounce house would look great set up at a cider mill or maybe a pumpkin farm, surrounded by real pumpkins. It's one of those bounce house combos that really works all year round.
2. 30' Venom 7 Element Inflatable Obstacle Course
Another large scale commercial inflatable, the Venom 7 Element is a challenging inflatable obstacle course that pushes two competitors to the edge. It's a great addition to any Halloween themed event, and imaginatively perfect for facilities where survivors need to escape zombies quickly.
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3. Retro Rainbow Inflatable Velcro Wall
Jumping into big piles of leaves is a time honored fall tradition, but it's not always a practical activity. And it's always considerably less fun for the person who had to rake up the yard to make that big pile of leaves in the first place, am I right? So why not fling yourself toward a big inflatable wall instead? The Retro Rainbow Inflatable Velcro Wall can perfectly compliment your fall, Halloween, or Thanksgiving themed outdoor events.
4. Back to School Games
I can't imagine too many kids are reading this, but if they are, they just let out loud groans. The end of summer does usher in the start of a new school year, though, and we have two fun games that go well with that theme. The School Daze sealed air frame game just needs two constant flows of air—one from an air mover and another from a kid who really isn't amused by your sense of humor. Meanwhile, the Food Fight Interactive Carnival Game lets players make a mess ... and maybe get a little revenge for your school theme choice. Both games are conveniently portable, and School Daze features a modular game panel that attaches to the sealed air frame unit and can be swapped with other panels.
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5. Easy Striker 14' Bell Ringer
The bell ringer game is fun year round, but always makes me think of fall festivals. The Easy Striker is a proper "old school" bell ringing game, and comes with an attached trailer for easier transport to and from events.
6. Stuff the Scarecrow
A great harvest themed entry, Stuff the Scarecrow is an interactive frame game where two young competitors face off in a race to see who can fill their scarecrow's flannel shirt the fastest.
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7. Cow Milking Contest
Another harvest themed item is the Cow Milking Contest frame game, where two players compete to fill their milk buckets first. With fake milk, and from a fake cow, of course.
8. Trick or Treat UltraLite Game
Another of our fun sealed air frame games is the Trick or Treat UltraLite, an anything-but-simple ball toss that will challenge players and keep kids busy for hours on end.
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9. Zap the Zombies Interactive Carnival Frame Game
Release your inner Daryl Dixon as a crossbow-wielding survivor of a zombie apocalypse, firing velcro darts in an effort to make your escape from hordes of zombies. Just be sure you have a friend shouting "CORAL!" somewhere behind you while you play Zap the Zombies, my personal favorite Halloween frame game.
10. Quarterback Toss Football Frame Game
Our company hails from Buffalo. My wife grew up just a few blocks from Rich Stadium, which is now known as New Era Field. This is definitely Bills Country. But regardless of which teams you root for, our Quarterback Toss Interactive Football Frame Game will provide loads of indoor and outdoor fun throughout the whole football season.
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Pumpkin Spice, Foliage, and Fun Indoor and Outdoor Games
Love it or leave it, Fall is coming. Mills are brewing apple cider. Foliage tourists (yes, that's a thing) are plotting their road trips through New England and Upstate New York. And much to my chagrin, companies are thinking up ways to flavor every edible or drinkable product they can find with pumpkin spice.
But Fall can be a lot of fun, too, even if you're an avid summer fundamentalist like me. Your party rental business investing in fall-ready equipment not only helps your company earn profit. It helps summer people like yours truly cope with heavier clothes and cooler air. That most of the products shown here are sealed air frame game units that require very little space and are suitable for pretty much any event? That's just happenstance, really.
In the end, there's no fighting the changing seasons. We'll be digging our cars out of massive piles of snow in just a few months (well, if you live up here where we live, that is). Summer will end and Fall will begin when the climate wills it so, and no amount of your pumpkin spice tomfoolery or my complaining that summer should never end will change that. So hey, let's stop griping and start playing some sealed air frame games!