Balloon Columns in Chicago
Balloon towers and pillars that flank doors, stages and dance floors
Classic, spiral and organic balloon columns with number, star or custom toppers, set on weighted bases at front doors, stage edges, aisles and booths, and delivered across Chicagoland.
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- Delivery, setup & pickup
- Indoor & outdoor installs
- Air-filled or helium
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Balloon columns at a glance
Balloon Arch Chicago delivers and sets up balloon columns, towers and pillars across Chicagoland, most of them 5 to 8 feet tall on weighted bases. Classic columns start at $95 each, spiral columns at $115, organic columns at $185 and towers with a number or star topper at $195.
- Typical height
- 5–8 ft
- Styles
- Classic, spiral, organic, themed
- Toppers
- Numbers, stars, letters, bubble balloons
- Balloon count
- Roughly 40–60 in a 6 ft classic column
- Ordered
- One at a time or in pairs, often with an arch
The basics
What Balloon Columns, Towers and Pillars Are
Column, tower, pillar, post: all four names describe one thing, a vertical stack of balloons on a pole with a weighted base.
Because a balloon column stands up by itself, usually somewhere between 5 and 8 feet tall, it goes nearly anywhere: beside a front door, at both ends of a stage, along a ceremony aisle, at the corners of the dance floor or next to a booth. No other piece of balloon decor is as easy to move around, and nothing adds height to a room faster without hanging a thing.
Columns are also the budget-friendly way to make an entrance. A pair costs less than a full balloon arch, and if you want more later, the tops can be joined with an arch to make the classic columns-and-arch entry you see at school dances and store openings.
Column styles
Balloon Column Styles
The pole and base never change. The pattern built on them is what does.
Classic stacked columns
Tight four-balloon clusters stacked straight up the pole, in a single color or in bands. Crisp, bold and the least expensive way to build a column.
Spiral balloon columns in two, three or four colors
Shift the colors in each cluster and they corkscrew up the column like a barber pole. Two colors look clean and sharp. Three colors are the most popular, especially red, white and blue for the Fourth. Four-color spirals suit rainbow parties and team colors.
Organic balloon columns
Mixed balloon sizes in loose, uneven clusters give a column the same soft, full look as an organic arch or garland. They take more balloons than classic columns, so they cost more, and they're the modern pick for weddings and showers.
Themed and novelty columns
A column can turn into a character or an object: a crayon or pencil for the first day of school, a palm tree for a luau, a traffic light for a race-car party, a Grinch in December, a candy stack for a sweets theme. Themed columns are a fun way to dress a school hallway, a park district field house or a kids' party.
Photo ideas
Balloon Column Ideas
The column styles and setups we build most.
Pair of red and white spiral balloon columns at a bungalow front door
Organic balloon columns in white and blush lining a park ceremony aisle
Black and gold balloon columns with star toppers beside an alley garage
Tall purple and silver balloon columns at each end of a stage
Blue and white balloon columns joined by an arch at a hall entrance
Palm tree balloon column beside a backyard patio
Mini pastel balloon columns as banquet table centerpieces
Red, white and blue spiral balloon columns at an office lobby entrance
Toppers
Balloon Columns With Numbers and Toppers
The topper is what makes a column about your event and nobody else's.
- Number toppers: a 34- or 40-inch foil number for an age, an anniversary or a class year. It's the column we're asked for most.
- Stars, hearts and crowns: foil shapes for graduations, Valentine's Day, quinceañeras and sweet 16s.
- Bubble balloon toppers: a clear bubble balloon filled with confetti or feathers, or with a name on it.
- Grad caps and diplomas: for grad parties and senior nights.
- Logo or letter panels: for company events and store openings.
Sizing
How Tall Is a Balloon Column, and How Many Balloons Go Into One?
A standard column stands about 6 feet, plus whatever sits on top.
| Column | Height | Balloons (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Mini or tabletop column | 2–3 ft | 12–20 |
| Standard classic or spiral column | 5–6 ft | 40–60 (11-inch) |
| Tall classic column | 7–8 ft | 60–80 (11-inch) |
| Organic column | 5–7 ft | 60–100+ (mixed sizes) |
These counts cover the column body. The topper, the base and any clusters around the foot add a few more.
What size balloons does a column use? Mostly 11-inch latex in four-balloon clusters, which builds a column about 18 to 20 inches across. Organic columns add 5-inch balloons and 16- to 18-inch balloons for texture.
Pricing
How Much Do Balloon Columns Cost in Chicago?
Single columns usually run $95–$300, depending on the style and the topper.
| Column | Starting at |
|---|---|
| Mini tabletop column | $65 |
| Classic column | $95 |
| Spiral column (2–4 colors) | $115 |
| Themed column (graduation, holiday) | $150 |
| Organic column | $185 |
| Balloon tower with number or star topper | $195 |
Prices are per column, delivered and placed, in the city and inner suburbs.
How much are two balloon columns? Most entrances get a pair, so budget roughly $190–$600 for two depending on the style. A pair is priced better than two singles, and adding an arch across the top costs less than ordering the pieces separately.
Placement
Where Balloon Columns Go
Columns look their best in pairs, standing guard on either side of something.
Entrances
Both sides of a front door, a banquet hall entrance or a shop door, so nobody walks past the party.
Stages and DJ booths
One at each end of the stage or the DJ table frames speakers and performers in every shot.
Wedding aisles
Short columns lining the aisle, or a tall pair where the couple will stand.
Dance floors
Columns on the corners of the dance floor, sometimes linked overhead with a garland canopy.
Trade show booths
Brand-color columns help a booth stand out down a long aisle at McCormick Place or the Rosemont and Schaumburg convention halls.
Gyms and school halls
Rows of school-color columns for graduations, prom, homecoming and senior night.
Occasions
Balloon Columns for Grad Parties, Weddings, Birthdays and Game Days
Late May through June is graduation season and peak time for columns, but they suit nearly any event.
- Graduation: school-color columns and towers with grad caps, stars or the class year for backyard grad parties, prom and senior night, from Evanston to Naperville.
- Weddings and bridal showers: organic columns in blush, or white with gold, lining the ceremony and framing the reception entrance.
- Birthdays: a column with the age on top, from a first birthday to a 60th.
- Gender reveals: pink and blue columns crowned with a question mark.
- Corporate events and trade shows: columns in company colors for booths, lobbies and openings.
- Game days and watch parties: Bears navy and orange, Cubs blue and red, or Sox black and silver.
- Holidays: Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and red, white and blue for the Fourth of July.
Outdoor columns
Outdoor Balloon Columns in Chicago Weather
A column is tall and top-heavy, so it catches wind. Outdoor columns get built for that.
- Outside, columns get heavier bases and are tied off to a fence, railing or post whenever one is close by.
- On shop fronts along busy streets like Milwaukee Avenue or Clark Street, we place columns in the lee of the building, out of the wind that funnels down the block.
- Air-filled columns outlast helium ones by a wide margin outdoors, and helium shrinks fast in cold weather.
- In summer, shade matters: direct sun fades and pops latex within hours, and dark colors heat up first. In winter, columns at an outdoor entrance look softer within an hour, so we set them just inside the door when we can.
Longevity
How Long Does a Balloon Column Last?
Several days indoors. A few hours outside in harsh sun or hard cold.
Air-filled and indoors at room temperature, a balloon column lasts several days and often a week. In outdoor shade during spring or fall it lasts about a day. In direct summer sun it starts to oxidize and pop within a few hours, and in freezing weather it shrinks and wrinkles just as quickly. For indoor events, columns can be made one to two days ahead, which helps with early-morning graduations and school events.
Where we work
Balloon Column Delivery Across Chicagoland
Columns arrive fully built and get set in place, or we build them on-site for large orders.
- The Loop, South Loop & StreetervilleHotel ballrooms and condo towers, where dock times, freight-elevator bookings and insurance certificates come first.
- West Loop & Fulton MarketConverted warehouse lofts and rooftop venues with timed load-ins and freight elevators.
- River North & Gold CoastRestaurant private rooms, rooftop lounges and hotel suites, where curbside unloading is tight.
- Lincoln Park, Lakeview & WrigleyvilleTwo-flat and greystone parties, back decks and rooftop decks a few blocks from the lake.
- Logan Square, Wicker Park & BucktownLoft apartments, brewery event rooms and garden-unit backyards.
- Pilsen, Little Village & BridgeportQuinceañeras, baptisms and family parties in banquet halls and church halls.
- Hyde Park & BronzevilleGraduation parties, church fellowship halls and family milestones on the South Side.
- Evanston & SkokieGraduation parties, school events and backyard birthdays just north of the city line.
- Oak Park & Forest ParkPorch arches on older homes, school events and restaurant parties west of Austin Boulevard.
- Cicero & BerwynBanquet halls and big family celebrations, from quinceañeras to first communions.
- Schaumburg & RosemontConvention halls and hotel ballrooms near O'Hare, planned around show and hotel load-in rules.
- Naperville & Oak BrookBig-backyard grad parties, corporate offices and hotel events in the western suburbs.
More balloon decor
Add an Arch, a Garland or a Wall Between Your Columns
Columns are the frame. These are the pieces that usually fill the space between them.
Questions
Balloon Columns in Chicago: FAQ
How much do balloon columns cost?
Our classic columns start at $95 each, spiral columns at $115, organic columns at $185 and towers with a topper at $195, delivered and placed. Most entrances use two.
How many balloons does one column use?
A 5–6 ft classic column uses roughly 40–60 11-inch balloons and a 7–8 ft one about 60–80. Organic columns in mixed sizes take 60–100 or more.
Which balloon size goes into a column?
Mostly 11-inch latex balloons in clusters of four. Organic columns mix in 5-inch and 16–18-inch balloons.
How long does a balloon column last?
Several days indoors when air-filled, about a day outside in shade, and a few hours in direct summer sun or below-freezing cold.
How early can columns be built before the event?
A day or two ahead for indoor events. Outdoor columns, in summer or winter, should be set up on the day.
Is a balloon tower the same as a balloon column or a balloon pillar?
Nothing that matters. All three name a freestanding stack of balloons on a pole and weighted base. People often say tower when the column has a big topper.
Can you put a number on top of a balloon column?
Yes. A 34- or 40-inch foil number is the topper people pick most, whether it's an age, an anniversary or a class year.
Do balloon columns need helium?
No. Columns are air-filled and held up by a pole and base. Only a floating topper or a bubble balloon might use helium.
Can balloon columns go outside in winter?
For a short time, yes, but cold makes latex shrink and wrinkle, so a column at an outdoor entrance won't look its best for long. Placing columns just inside the door, or using foil toppers that hold their shape in the cold, works better from November to March.
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