Clowning Around Carnival Game Rental

SETUP AREA

49" W × 23" D × 75" H

STRUCTURE

Freestanding — no table or platform needed

HEIGHT

75 inches — over 6 feet tall

GAME TYPE

Bean bag throw — classic knockdown booth

PROJECTILE

Bean bags — only thrown projectile game in catalog

THEME

Clown figures — classic midway visual

ELECTRICAL

None required

AGE GROUP

All Ages

Freestanding at 75 Inches — The Most Visible Game on the Floor

At over six feet tall, Clowning Around is visible from across the carnival floor in a way no table game in the catalog can match. Table games top out at roughly 3.5 feet from ground to top of game — Clowning Around more than doubles that height. Guests at the far end of a gymnasium, fellowship hall, or festival yard can see the colorful clown figures from a distance and identify the game format before they reach the booth. That long-range visibility draws foot traffic to the station without any volunteer effort. It is the visual anchor that organizes the carnival floor around it.

Bean Bags — The Only Thrown Projectile in the Catalog

Every other game in the catalog asks players to roll, slide, or drop a projectile along a surface or through a channel. Clowning Around asks players to throw — to pick up a bean bag and toss it through the air at a target. Throwing is the most natural physical motion in competitive game play, and the throwing mechanic is what connects Clowning Around directly to the broadest possible audience. Children who throw balls in the backyard, adults who played softball in high school, and guests who have never played a carnival game before all understand "pick up the bean bag and throw it at the clown" immediately. No learning curve for the mechanic itself — only for the accuracy and force calibration under the time limit.

Classic Midway Knockdown Booth — Over a Century of Carnival Identity

The knockdown booth is one of the oldest and most recognized carnival game formats in American midway history. Throw something, knock something down. The clown target specifically connects to the classic "clown knockdown" and "Bozo" type midway game that has been at state fairs and church carnivals for generations. When guests see Clowning Around, they recognize the format without explanation — it is a cultural memory that no alley game in the catalog triggers. That instant recognition converts to immediate line traffic without any explanation from a volunteer.

Freestanding — No Table, No Platform, Pure Floor Presence

Every other game in the catalog requires a table or plays on the ground at table-height. Clowning Around is the only game that is explicitly freestanding — it stands on its own at over six feet tall without any support structure. This means it can be positioned anywhere on flat ground, moved easily during event setup, and does not require coordinating a table rental alongside the game. It also means the game's visual presence is the full 75-inch profile from floor to top of clown figures — no table is reducing the effective visible height.

Timed Competition — Score as Many Knockdowns as Possible

Like Alien Pinball, Clowning Around runs against a clock — players throw bean bags to knock down as many clown figures as possible before time runs out. The timed format produces the same urgency that makes Alien Pinball the highest-throughput game in the catalog: turns are fixed-duration, the supervisor knows exactly when each turn ends, and the queue moves at a predictable rate. The additional pressure of the timer on top of the throwing accuracy challenge creates the dual-skill requirement: throw quickly enough to maximize knockdowns, accurately enough to actually hit.

Why $250 — A Complete Booth, Not a Compact Table Game

Clowning Around at $250 is priced as a complete carnival booth installation, not a compact table game. The freestanding structure at over six feet tall, the bean bag throwing mechanic that requires a throwing lane rather than a compact playing surface, the clown figure target installation, and the visual presence that functions as a carnival floor anchor together produce a rental that is fundamentally different from the $115 alley games. Two Clowning Around rentals side by side would create a carnival attraction zone with a physical scale and visual impact that no combination of table games can match.

Step Up to the Booth

The player steps up to the Clowning Around booth and picks up the bean bags. The clown targets are set upright on the booth structure at over six feet high — colorful, visible, and clearly the targets. The timer is set. The volunteer signals the start.

Throw at the Clowns

Throw bean bags at the clown targets to knock them down. Quick reflexes — react and release fast to maximize throw count before time expires. Steady hand — aim accurately enough to actually hit the targets rather than throwing around them.

Knock Down as Many as Possible

Score by the number of clown figures knocked down before time runs out. Each knocked-down clown counts. The player who knocks down the most clowns in the time limit holds the current high score — the next player tries to beat it.

Reset and Next Player

The volunteer resets the clown targets, collects the bean bags, and signals the next player to step up. Fixed-duration turns make bracket play predictable and efficient. Track cumulative knockdown counts across multiple turns for tournament scoring.

Space Requirements — Throwing Lane Plus Booth

Clowning Around is 49 inches wide and 23 inches deep and stands 75 inches tall — no table required. Plan for the booth footprint plus adequate throwing distance in front of the booth for players to stand and throw at the clown targets. A clear throwing lane of at least 6 to 8 feet in front of the booth is recommended to provide comfortable throwing distance. Clear space on both sides for spectators. The booth can be placed on flat ground indoors or outdoors — grass, concrete, gymnasium floors, or any level surface. See our what to expect on event day page for delivery logistics.

No Electricity — No Table — No Platform

Clowning Around requires no electricity, no table, and no platform — the only game in the catalog where all three are absent. It is delivered, placed on flat ground, and the game is ready. Equipment is state-inspected annually by the Texas Department of Insurance and cleaned between every rental. Read our safety standards.

How to Book

Click "Add to Cart" on the product page. Enter your event date, delivery address, and setup location. Pay the $50 non-refundable deposit to hold your reservation — it applies toward the total. You receive an immediate confirmation email. Clowning Around can be added to any order alongside bounce houses, water slides, or other carnival games for combined delivery. Call (817) 800-8618 to build a complete carnival game lineup with Clowning Around as the visual anchor.

Supervision

One volunteer manages the Clowning Around station: resetting the clown targets between each player's turn, collecting bean bags from the playing area, running the timer, recording knockdown counts, and managing the queue. The booth's long-range visibility means the volunteer's energy is mostly directed at the booth reset and scoring — spectators self-organize at the game because the colorful clown targets draw them without verbal direction from the volunteer.

School Carnivals — The Instant-Recognition Booth

At school carnivals where multiple game stations are running simultaneously, Clowning Around's 75-inch height and clown target format creates the visual hierarchy that identifies it immediately as the different booth — the one that produces lines of students who recognize the format from county fairs and family carnivals without needing the game explained. See our vendor approval for schools page for COI documentation.

Church Carnivals and Harvest Festivals

Church harvest festivals that want a full carnival booth experience find Clowning Around covering what compact table games cannot: the physical presence and classic midway identity that makes the event feel like a real carnival rather than a collection of game stations. The clown theme fits harvest festival and fall carnival programming naturally. See our church event ideas page for planning guidance.

Full Carnival Theme Events

Events that want the authentic carnival atmosphere — where every element reads "carnival" rather than "backyard party with games" — find Clowning Around the centerpiece that establishes the theme. Combined with a bounce house, a water slide or other inflatables, and two or three compact alley games, Clowning Around provides the booth-scale anchor that makes the event look like a real carnival from the street. Pair with any bounce house rental for a complete carnival event package.

Corporate Events — The Crowd Gatherer

At a corporate event, Clowning Around is the game that employees gather around rather than passing through. The throwing competition, the clown knockdown visual, and the height that makes every turn visible to spectators produce a crowd-spectator dynamic that table games rarely achieve. Throwing bean bags at clown figures is universally appealing and universally understood — zero explanation needed, maximum participation.

Birthday Parties — The Unique Statement Game

Birthday parties where Clowning Around is the only game are making a statement: we got the big one. The booth-scale game that none of the other birthday parties on the street have. Children who have only ever seen Clowning Around-style games at the state fair or a real carnival recognize immediately that the party is doing something different. Pair with a bounce house from the same combined delivery for complete carnival-style party coverage.

Clown-Themed and Circus-Themed Events

Circus-themed birthday parties, carnival-themed school events, and any gathering where a clown or big-top motif is the design framework find Clowning Around covering the specific themed game that matches the program. No other game in the catalog has a clown theme. The game's visual appearance in clown-themed event photos is self-explanatory — it is clearly the carnival booth game and it clearly belongs in the theme.

Alien Pinball Carnival Game

Add the lever-pull timed game alongside Clowning Around's bean bag throw format — two timed skill games, two completely different mechanics, one combined delivery.

Plinko Carnival Game

Add the pure-chance drop game alongside Clowning Around's skill-based throw format — two completely different game types covering both competitive skill and equal-odds participation.

Browse All Carnival Games

See the full interactive and carnival game lineup to build the right combination of compact games alongside Clowning Around's booth-scale anchor.

Party Game Packages

Browse the full party packages lineup for multi-game savings when combining Clowning Around with other carnival games and party rentals.

Weather Happens

Texas weather does not care about your event date. We offer flexible rain checks with no penalties when weather forces a cancellation. Your deposit rolls forward to your rescheduled date. Clowning Around works indoors on flat ground, so it always has a rain backup location available.

Empathy Over Logistics

We lead with kindness and find solutions, not excuses. If something goes wrong with your rental, we make it right. Chanda McFarland runs this company as a parent and neighbor, not a faceless corporation.

The Magic Standard

We treat every delivery like it is for our own family. That standard has earned us over 1,200 five-star Google reviews from DFW families, churches, schools, and businesses since 2002.

How does Clowning Around work?

Players throw bean bags at clown target figures set up on the freestanding booth and try to knock down as many clowns as possible before time runs out. The objective is maximum knockdowns within the time limit — each knocked-down clown figure counts toward the player's score. The skill requires quick reflexes to throw rapidly enough to maximize turn attempts, and a steady hand to aim accurately enough to actually hit and topple the clown targets. Clowning Around is the only game in the catalog that uses bean bags as the projectile and knocking down targets as the objective.

Why does Clowning Around cost more than the other carnival games?

Clowning Around at $250 is priced as a complete carnival booth installation, not a compact table game. Most carnival games in the catalog are compact alley games that play on a 6-foot table or the ground at roughly 11 inches deep. Clowning Around is a freestanding booth structure standing over 6 feet tall, 49 inches wide, that requires its own floor footprint and throwing lane. The physical scale, the bean bag throwing mechanic that needs a throwing lane rather than a compact playing surface, and the booth-level visual presence that functions as a carnival floor anchor together reflect a fundamentally different rental than the $115 table games.

Does Clowning Around need a table?

No — Clowning Around is the only game in the catalog that is fully freestanding. It stands on its own at over 6 feet tall without any table or platform. The existing product description explicitly states: "This game is free standing so it does not need a table or platform." Place it on any flat ground surface indoors or outdoors and it is ready. No additional table rental is needed or available for this game — the freestanding structure is its own support system.

How much space does Clowning Around need?

Clowning Around requires the booth footprint — 49 inches wide by 23 inches deep — plus a clear throwing lane in front of the booth for players to stand and throw at the clown targets. Plan for at least 6 to 8 feet of clear space in front of the booth for player throwing distance, plus spectator space on the sides. Clowning Around works indoors on gymnasium floors, fellowship halls, and large community rooms as well as outdoors on grass or concrete. The 75-inch height fits comfortably under standard 8-foot gymnasium ceilings. Call (817) 800-8618 to confirm the specific space requirements for your venue if needed.

Where does Inflatable Party Magic deliver Clowning Around in DFW Texas?

We deliver Clowning Around throughout the DFW metroplex — Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Burleson, Crowley, Keller, Southlake, Trophy Club), Johnson County (Cleburne, Keene, Joshua, Alvarado, Grandview, Venus, Godley), Ellis and Dallas County (Midlothian, Waxahachie, Maypearl, Cedar Hill, Grand Prairie, Dallas), and Parker, Hood, Somervell, Hill, and Bosque counties. Clowning Around can be added to any order for combined delivery. View the full delivery area or call (817) 800-8618.

Tarrant County

Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Kennedale, Benbrook, Keller, Southlake, Trophy Club, Grapevine, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Haltom City, Watauga, Haslet, Colleyville, Crowley, Everman, Forest Hill, River Oaks, and Azle.

Johnson County

Burleson, Cleburne, Keene, Joshua, Alvarado, Grandview, Venus, Godley, Cresson, and Rio Vista.

Ellis and Dallas County

Midlothian, Waxahachie, Maypearl, Red Oak, Cedar Hill, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Coppell, Flower Mound, and Covington.

Parker, Hood, and Somervell County

Weatherford, Aledo, Willow Park, Granbury, Glen Rose, Tolar, and Lipan.

Hill and Bosque County

Hillsboro, Itasca, Blum, Whitney, Kopperl, and Morgan.

Extended Delivery

Waco, Briar Oaks, Rendon, Lillian, and additional DFW communities. Call (817) 800-8618 to check availability.