CHESHIRE — Graduations and summer are around the corner, and that means the party season is starting. Durants Party Rentals is gearing up for its busiest time of year with a variety of tables, chairs, DJ-in-a-box set-ups and giant inflatables.
John Regina, assistant manager of the company, has been busy helping the community plan their celebrations.
Q: What does your business provide?
Regina: We’re a full service rental company. We have locations throughout Connecticut and New York’s Hudson Valley. We have a staff of highly experienced event professionals. We service a diverse array of clients from catering companies to bridal venues to non-profit events.
Q: How long has the business been here in Cheshire?
Regina: This is our third season.
Q: What are some memorable events you have been able to service?
Regina: We did a Great Gatsby Gala, which was pretty awesome. We do the annual Race in the Park in New Britain. In Southington, the Apple Harvest Festival – which I’ve been part of as long as I’ve been in this business...that is one I spend a lot of time on.
Q: What is your busiest time of year?
Regina: We’re primarily busy from April through October.
Q: What is the season like now?
Regina: It’s starting to pick up, we’re starting to get pretty busy. We’re doing different non-profit events, we’re starting to get into backyard parties whether they be birthday parties, or anniversary parties.
Q: How popular are graduation party requests this time of year?
Regina: The gentleman in our showroom right now is here for a graduation party. Graduations are an event where, once you determine a guest count and pick the date and time whether it’s the date of the ceremony or a weekday or weekend, a lot of times it’s a popular option to hold the event at a residence.
Q: What are some popular rental requests right now?
Regina: For graduation parties you can see anything from a DJ-in-a-box system, which is quite cost efficient in being able to have music at your event, portable bars, frozen drink machines to inflatables.
Q: What is one of the most fun inflatables you have to rent?
Regina: We have one that’s called the North Woods Flume, which is a giant water slide. This is a big slide. It emulates the log rides you see at amusement parks.
Q: What kind of event tents do you offer?
Regina: Looking at a graduation party there are two different tents that we mainly offer – the all purpose canopy (APC) is a tent that is tension based that is staked into the ground. The other option is a frame festival tent, which actually is made to look like a canopy tent with the peaks that you would see on a wedding tent. The frame tent is essentially a frame that we put the top over and is held up by the frame not tension.
Q: How long does it take from start to finish to service an event or party?
Regina: It greatly varies. Anywhere from two years out to two months before, and even sometimes later than that. I am actually just beginning to finalize an event that is on the 11th for 300 people and I was just in dialogue with the gentleman for about 3 weeks. Ideally you want to be at least 6 months out.
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