That hot dog is a balloon.

The water bottle is real.

We checked. Twice. It was a long, hot day.

If you spent any time at a ballgame, a school event or a community celebration around Omaha this summer, there's a decent chance you walked past a Balloon Brigade entertainer. Possibly under a red and white balloon arch. Possibly while a child held up a hot dog you could not, legally or nutritionally, eat.

It was a big season.

We'd like to say thank you.

A SUMMER FULL OF GAME DAYS

Sports crowds are our kind of crowds.

They're loud. They're happy. They show up early and they bring the whole family.

This season, The Balloon Brigade was out at:

• Creighton Baseball

• Creighton Soccer

• Creighton Volleyball

• The Omaha Storm Chasers

That's a lot of Bluejays. And a lot of balloon hot dogs.

Game-day entertainment is a specific skill. Families don't arrive all at once. They trickle in, they wander, they leave for nachos and come back. Kids want something to do before first pitch, between innings and during the parts of the game that grown-ups find riveting and eight-year-olds find suspiciously long.

That's where we come in.

A balloon twister near the gate. A face painter by the family area. Suddenly the kids have a mission, the parents get to watch the game, and everybody goes home with something that isn't a foam finger.

SCHOOLS, TOO. LOTS OF SCHOOLS.

It wasn't all ballparks and arenas.

We also spent time with students, families and staff at schools around the metro, including:

• Blair High School

• Bellevue East High School

High school crowds are a fun challenge. Teenagers will tell you they're too old for balloon animals.

Then they see the balloon sword.

Then they see the airbrush tattoos.

Then they're in line.

We've learned not to take "I'm too old for this" personally. It's usually just the opening offer.

AND A WHOLE LOT MORE AROUND THE METRO

Those names are the headliners. They're not the whole list.

Between the big game days, The Balloon Brigade was at community festivals, company picnics, church events, neighborhood block parties, birthday parties and family celebrations all over the Omaha metro. Omaha, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Elkhorn, Blair, Council Bluffs and plenty of places in between.

Some events had 40 guests.

Some had thousands.

Same rule for both: show up on time, set up clean, keep the line moving and make every kid feel like they're the only one we're making something for.

WHY WE LOVE THIS KIND OF WORK

Here's the thing nobody tells you about balloon twisting and face painting.

It's not really about the balloon.

It's about the kid who was shy at the start of the event and is now showing a stranger their balloon dinosaur.

It's the dad who asks for a tiger face "for the kid" and then quietly asks if he can get one too.

It's the grandparent who says, "They had someone like you when I was little." (We are, apparently, a tradition. We'll take it.)

That's what we get to do all summer long. It's a strange job. We love it.

LOCAL ENTERTAINERS. NOT A BOOKING WEBSITE.

The Balloon Brigade is Omaha-based. Our balloon twisters, face painters and airbrush tattoo artists live here. We know the venues, the parking, the traffic on Dodge and exactly how hot it gets on a ballpark concourse in July.

That local experience matters, especially at large events.

When an organizer calls us, we don't just ask, "What time?"

We ask:

• How many guests are you expecting?

• What ages?

• How long does the event run?

• Do people arrive all at once or throughout the day?

• Would one entertainer get swamped, or should we bring a team?

Better questions. Better events.

THANK YOU, OMAHA

To Creighton Athletics, the Omaha Storm Chasers, Blair High School, Bellevue East High School and every school, church, company and family who brought us out this season:

Thank you.

You kept us busy. You kept us twisting. You kept us very well hydrated.

We had a blast being out there with you.

BOOKING THE NEXT SEASON NOW

Fall is already here, and the calendar is filling fast with school carnivals, church festivals, trunk-or-treats, company events and holiday parties.

If you're planning an event in the Omaha metro, whether it's a game day, a school event, a festival or a backyard birthday, let's talk.

Balloon twisting. Face painting. Airbrush tattoos. Henna. Magic. Stilt walkers. One entertainer or a whole crew.

Tell us about your event and we'll help you build the right lineup.

Call (402) 526-5468 or visit theballoonbrigade.com to check availability and request a quote.

We'll bring the balloons.

You bring the crowd.

(Hot dogs, as always, sold separately.)