Portland Partyworks

I was on the board for my son’s grad party and we used Portland Party Works. I am an experienced event planner and have been using them for school events for over 10 years. This time I decided to stay back and not take on the whole event and concentrate on fundraising. We had a few hick ups as a fellow parent notes below. As far as the problem with us discovering that pizza was not included in our contract. That was our boards fault for assuming and not reading over and discussing the contract completely. When I talked to Mike about this problem he wrote us a check for $ 600 to cover the pizza for our students out of his own account. This was taken care of by a couple phone calls and all the kids were fed and none the wiser.
As far as them having a very steep cost people seem to forget that this is a business that has to pay employees, overhead and make a profit. What isn’t listed below is that Portland Party works also donated 4 extra attractions to us at no charge. Our committee went a little over board signing up for attractions and when we didn’t raise as many funds as we anticipated and have to cover a transportation budget that we haven’t had to in the past. Our committee had to find ways to cut the budget. Yes at that point we were able to bring in some of our own vendors at half the price but we also had to do the ground work and follow up to get these vendors. If you don’t wish to do all the work yourself you hire a party planner.
We did have a new event planner and there were some rough spots but we were also given a discount. All the other years I have used Portland Party Works I have never had a problem with them they have always been very supportive and have always donated to which every cause I have worked with. Over the years I have worked with them for school carnival, grad party, casino nights and company events. They do the work so you can enjoy your party.

PartyWorks has Been my go to inflatable rental location for the past five years. With my daughters parties, niece’s and just casual family gathering ’ s. I can easily pickup items and have them 24 hours or I can get quality set up and take down. Always been happy to talk to their staff. A company who keeps their employees for years has to be doing something right.

Horrible horrible company. We used them as the event coordinators for our high school’s senior grad party and it was a nightmare from beginning to end. Some problems:
1) the employee who was in charge of our account was inept to say the least. She wrongly told us we could not get into the facility until 10:00pm, forcing us to improvise with the kids from 8:30pm-10:00pm. But in casual conversation with the facility employees on the night of the event, we found that in fact we could have entered the facility at 8:00pm.
2) the week before the event we discovered the contract did not include any entrée type food. We had been contracting with PPW for years, and each time food was included in the contract. Who would think throwing a six hour party for teenagers doesn’t need to include food? An inept party planner! We had to scramble mightily to order food at the last minute for 100s of kids.
3) all of the games and entertainment comes at a very steep cost. We discovered that PPW added an exorbitant up charge of about 50−100% for simply calling the actual vendor of the games and ordering them. It isn’t as if PPW event even set them up, the vendor did that. Every time PPW just dialed a number, it would cost us at least $ 500.
After the event everyone concluded that Portland Party Works adds no value to the event whatsoever and we would recommend that subsequent groups in our school (or anyone else) never use them.

Sure they have chairs, power tools, tables, all manner of various and sundry equipment to help you cater your big event. But perhaps most importantly, they are the only place around (at least that I have found) that offers two things that practically guarantee your event is a smash success:
1.) Inflatable Sumo suits (as seen on «the Office», etc)
2.) Inflatable boxing/​wrestling ring, complete w/​inflatable gloves. Encourage bickering co-​workers to resolve their differences once in for all «all in the name of fun, «of course.
These items are a bit spendy, but I promise you: they are worth every stinkin’ penny!
Viva Portland Partyworks!