As a kid, there’s almost nothing more exciting than having a birthday. The entire day is focused on them and is full of celebration, fun, and awesome parties. With a day that special, the party venue has to live up to all the hype. The Mascot Hall of Fame (MHOF) in Whiting is just the place to be for such an event and is sure to be a big hit when it’s time to celebrate the big day.
“Our birthday parties are aimed more towards the children and entertaining the children when you come here because we are an interactive Children's Museum,” said Special Events Coordinator Valarie Reyes.
The MHOF has a few different birthday packages available for parties, all called Reggy’s Birthday Bash, after the company's very own mascot of the same name. The type of package one would choose depends on the number of kids expected to attend - there are options for parties of 10 , 20, 30, and 30 plus.
Every party, no matter the size, includes similar features guaranteed to give kids a day they will never forget. All attendees are offered two hours of reserved seating on the main floor with a party professional to assist the entire time. Those two hours also include playtime throughout the entire museum and a special treat of a cookie and juice. If a photo of the birthday child is sent in, it will also be presented on the museum's jumbotron screen. Additional add-ons are also an option for every party and include things such as arts and crafts, glitter tattoos, and kid’s meals.
“The children will have free range in our museum on the first and second floor,” Reyes said. “Our second floor is where most of the interactive exhibits and all hands-on things are, and then down on the first floor is our physical education area. That's where we have an indoor sports court and an indoor jungle gym.”
While some features are similar, every party is also personalized for the special birthday boy or girl.
“What we do is we set up a table, and then they're able to bring in their own decorations such as tablecloths or centerpieces, things like that. That way they can make their birthday party more of their theme if they'd like, or we can keep it as just strictly Mascot Hall of Fame, which is our brightly colored items,” Reyes said.
For bigger parties, there’s also the option to rent their “Furitorium,” or their larger party room if they would like space for themselves.
Some of Reyes’ favorite moments working at the MHOF have been centered around the kid’s parties. She absolutely adores the excitement that is always present in the kid’s eyes when the staff comes out to celebrate with them.
“One of the great things that we do is when we sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ Reggy comes out with us,” she said. “Each kid gets a swag bag as part of their birthday party, and Reggy actually gives them that bag. Then at the end, after he gives them the bag, we pop confetti cannons. It’s one of the best things that the kids love to do.”
The MHOF is always hosting many different kinds of events, and Reyes added that it’s a great idea to coordinate kid’s parties around them so they can get in on the fun as well.
“I know a lot of parents look at our event calendar to see if we have mascot appearances coming up and they try to schedule birthday parties for that because that's an extra treat that they wouldn't have to pay for - that comes included if they're here during that time,” she said.
One such event is coming up soon on Saturday, May 28, when Who Dey, the mascot from the Cincinnati Bengals, will be stopping by the MHOF for a visit.
