Rent an Event Kit For Your Next Backyard Party

AJ: A while back I was working on a bunch of events within a week or two, and I had all the usual event supplies piled high in the back of my car. I realized my week was going to be much easier if I just left it all in the car, so I did. From then forward I found myself frequently wishing my event kit could always be packed and ready to go. That’s where the event-in-a-box approach started to take shape.

We plan to add more event essentials into the kits over the coming year, but we’re starting with the fun stuff like yard games and sport courts (volleyball, badminton, pickleball). When I was a kid, I would put hours into preparing the backyard for my family’s parties. I’d measure out a full wiffle ball stadium, make sure the

volleyball net was perfectly taut, and even made my dad buy field marking paint from Tuffy Brooks so I could line the volleyball court. He loves it as much as I do, so he always came through.

AJ: More than anything else, it was the not so busy evenings and weekends of the pandemic that pushed me to finally put all the pieces together. I realized that the stay at home order was an opportunity to take on the projects I had always wanted to finish, and this one was very high on the list. The top project on the list was proposing to my fiancé, Meggie. That went well, so I figured I should keep going on the Event Drop idea, too. She’s been especially helpful getting it

off the ground, and she frequently reminded me that I would always regret not giving it a real shot.

Launching an event rental business during a pandemic isn’t ideal. We want people to enjoy the event kits safely. They’re great for creating a special day in the backyard with your family or close friends, but we hope people wait to throw that big backyard bash until it’s safe to do so.

How did you determine what games to start with?
AJ: I’ve kept a running list of games that others suggested or that caught my attention at some point. I chose these 8 because they invite a variety of skill and intensity levels. I’m probably most excited about introducing people to some of the less widely known games like Kubb and Molkky. 

How much advance notice do folks need to reserve?

AJ: Earlier is better of course. For now now there’s only one of each game, so if we’ve already booked it for someone else you’re likely going to be out of luck. That said, we want people to submit a request no matter how quick the turnaround is. We’ll follow up to let them know whether it’s available and whether we think we can pull it off.

Do folks have to be at home when you drop off or pick up?
AJ: Generally yes. We’ll work with customers to find times that work because we’ll want to go over what’s in the kit and talk through any final questions or concerns. If there are unique circumstances, we’re open to developing a more creative solution. While we’re still new we’d rather use these special cases to help us improve the business than turn someone away.What is the charge if you are outside the 15 mile delivery radius? 

AJ: We aren’t looking to nickel-and-dime anyone on the delivery radius. If we can get to you in 20-25 minutes, we’re going to make it work within the listed pricing. From there we’ll add $15 for every extra 10 minutes of total travel time. It’s definitely an area we’ll fine tune after we have some more deliveries under our belt.

AJ: Event Drop is a social enterprise. It’s a for-profit business, but we’re here to help make our community better and brighter, too. Parties, events, and games bring people together and we hope Event Drop makes it easier to gather family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors over and over again. We hope you’ll try it out and help us find ways to keep improving.