Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (Kelli Hertzog/Contributed photo)
Birthdays are looking quite different in the age of COVID-19.
FaceTime calls, touchless gift deliveries and virtual parties through Zoom and other video chat apps have replaced large family gatherings, bar hopping with friends and children’s birthday parties at trampoline parks, roller skating rinks and other entertainment facilities.
Select municipalities are even hosting firetruck parades in front of celebrating children’s homes.
Another unique way of lifting a loved ones’ spirit during this social-distancing time is through custom balloon installations.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (BalloonWorks/Contributed photo)
Easton-based BalloonWorks, a longstanding event decor business, is helping Lehigh Valley-area residents celebrate another trip around the sun with massive colorful balloon displays.
Owner and certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” can create life-size balloon columns, numbers denoting a person’s age and Koosh ball-like installations featuring clusters of long, thin balloons.
“Making 100% no contact lawn and porch deliveries,” Ford writes on the business’ Facebook page. “… And bringing 100% joy to recipients and their neighbors!”
Ford, whose installations have adorned local high school proms, nonprofit fundraisers and prominent area events such as Bethlehem’s PeepsFest and Allentown’s Pride in the Park, was initially distraught over the influx of canceled events — and subsequent loss of clients — resulting from the COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (BalloonWorks/Contributed photo)
One of her first losses? A $600 balloon sculpture for Pocono Township’s Great Wolf Lodge, which was mandated to shut down just before St. Patrick’s Day.
"After 30 years of business, I thought I was going to lose everything," Ford said.
Fortunately, a resourceful Ford tapped her entrepreneurial skills and quickly morphed the potential business casualty into a fresh business opportunity by posting photos of the whimsical green party prop on social media. She marketed the balloon display as four creations rather than one large sculpture and immediately found buyers wanting to decorate their lawns with a cheerful flair.
The repurposing of the giant columns turned out to be just the beginning of Ford’s new bread and butter: outdoor balloon installations for residential clients.
“I never did home deliveries on a regular basis,” Ford said. “I mostly did them as favors maybe a dozen times a year. But in this situation, I had to ask myself, ‘What am I going to do?’ This is my livelihood, my sole income.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (BalloonWorks/Contributed photo)
Today, six weeks after St. Patrick’s Day, Ford’s balloon business is once again booming. But instead of creating balloon arches, garlands and sculptures for galas, trade shows and other public events, she is satisfying an increasing demand for artful installations in yards and other outdoor spaces.
The displays help individuals celebrate birthdays, along with other special occasions such as anniversaries, graduations and newborn arrivals, during a time when in-person communication is limited.
Ford also has satisfied requests to make “you’re our hero” balloon displays for grocery store clerks, hospital staff and others helping to keep life moving amid the pandemic.
“I just love being able to bring joy into people’s lives,” Ford said. “It brings tears to my eyes when people send me pictures of their kids with my balloons. They’re so happy, and that makes me happy. I’m also appreciative of them for helping me out during this time. It’s really a win-win situation.”
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (BalloonWorks/Contributed photo)
Under normal circumstances, Ford services about four large clients, including colleges, corporations and resorts, per week.
She’s even had high-profile gigs like working the New Year’s Eve confetti drop in Times Square, creating wedding decor for a Twitter executive and serving on the balloon team for the 2016 Democratic Convention.
Today, her “new normal” is delivering about 40 outdoor installations a week to residential customers.
Orders, ranging between $40 and $400, are typically installed before 2 p.m. so customers can enjoy the display for the bulk of the day.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, certified balloon artist Karen Ford, known to many as “the balloon lady,” has shifted the focus of her 30-year-old BalloonWorks operation. Instead of creating massive displays for large public events, she is now helping residential clients celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions with outdoor balloon installations. (BalloonWorks/Contributed photo)
Delivery is free for orders of more than $100, and Ford also delivers installations to areas just outside of the Lehigh Valley such as Tamaqua and Somerset County in New Jersey.
She estimates her total number of orders since mid-March to be more than 200.
“I’m doing about 60% of the business that I previously did,” Ford said. “My biggest fear is that when things do open up, this might go away. Events are not going to happen for months, maybe even a year. So once people can go to Party City and do their own thing again, will they continue with this? I hope so. I hope this becomes a cool, long-lasting tradition that people will enjoy even when there’s not a pandemic going on.”
In response to the coronavirus crisis, Ford has streamlined operations. For example, payment through apps such as Venmo is appreciated, while communication through the business’ Facebook page is preferred over clients filling out extensive online forms.
For information on BalloonWorks, visit eventsbyballoonworks.com or call Ford at 610-417-7417.