‘It’s magic’
The World's Biggest Bounce House. This is a fun, feel-good event
JORGE SANTIAGO takes photo ofhis daughter Sofia 2 yrs and Sazalla Martilla, 2 yrs. as Ruby Milla at right.
Where can you compete in an obstacle course, slip down a 20-feet slide and dive into a ball pit this weekend? The answer is Elings Park, where Big Bounce America is setting up their World’s Biggest Bounce House — which holds the Guinness World Record — for use through Sunday, but it’s not the only attraction for kids and adults. In addition to the bounce house, slide and ball pit, there is also a maze where folks can channel their inner Dom Cobb.
“It gets them off of their tablets and phones,” said Denise Lopez, who was tackling the obstacle course with her nine-year-old son Kaiden. “It gets them out and playing.”
Ms. Lopez also attended the Big Bounce America event last year, and she likes the growth she saw Friday.
“This is like so much bigger than last year’s,” Ms. Lopez said. “It’s better.”
Ms. Lopez and Kaiden completed the obstacle course together, and as someone who was born and raised in Santa Barbara, she seemed to sense that she will come back next year as well.
“It is worth every penny,” she told the News-Press.
Tickets range from $16 for toddlers to $30 for adults, which funds Big Bounce America’s West Coast tour it is currently on.
“You’ve got to pay for your crew to travel,” said Danielle Hodge, the tour manager. “We’re on the road, we don’t fly. We’re traveling with (the equipment).”
Luckily for the employees and volunteers setting up the inflatable town, there are 80 blowers and two generators.
“It’s paying off, and it’s doing well,” said Ms. Hodge.
Ms. Lopez is not the only mother to be enjoying a day out in the inflatable structures with her child, as Lucrezia Deleon and her son, Luca, were racing through the obstacle course, leaving all others in the dust behind them.
Ms. Deleon was smiling and laughing throughout the whole time, while her son’s giggles could be heard from afar.
“It’s good to be reminded to be back on their level and just be a child,” said Ms. Deleon. “It’s magic.”
Ms. Deleon works at RM Architects in Camarillo and shared some insight on the routines in life.
“When you’re really busy as an adult, it’s easy to be wrapped up in a routine and drag the kids along,” said Ms. Deleon. “But we thought this would be a great fun way to get the kids back in a routine (with the school year kicking off).”
The energetic jumpstart to the school year, though, requires a good amount of energy from participants. To fuel the event goers, there is a string of food trucks, which are serving up tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burgers, hot dogs and much more. Some kids though seem to be harnessing the energy within without the help of food trucks.
After beating her friend through the obstacle course, a little girl declared, “I am invincible!”
This weekend, there will probably be more people feeling invincible at Elings Park.
