This was a good learning experience this weekend. Our party hit capacity pretty quickly and the myriad of faces were happy and enthusiastic.
So here’s what I learned from this event that may help guide future snow themed events in the future.
1. Dry ice is expensive, dangerous, and just not worth it…
I picked up 30 lbs of dry ice for this event, while that may seem like a lot, it is not. 10lbs of dry ice can fill a 12’x12′ x2″ (inches high) area for approximately 20 minutes. That 10lbs is priced locally at $15. The other option is to break up the dry ice in chunks and go from there, but let’s just say it won’t go very far. Additionally if your mates think it’s a good idea to take a fan to the dry ice to make “spread further” just let them know that it only dissipates the fog effect faster. The professional way of doing this is with a Chauvet Nimbus (or similar — even DIY method), but these things eat 10lbs in 6 minutes. Awesome effect, but expensive. (Link to Video in action) –>
2. DJ Snow machines can be disappointing & Wet.
They do not blow out actual snow and you may be surprised when people open their mouths to eat it and end up running to the bathroom to wash out their mouths. The fluid is made out of rubbing alcohol, bubble bath, and distilled water — not very flavorful. On top of that, the blower only projects out about 8′ away from the nozzle. With an extra fan I was able to target the dancers towards the front of the stage, but anyone past 12′ was missing out. With a venue larger than your living room you may want to use more than one snow machine to have a winter themed party. On top of that if you leave it running the “snow” will clump up as foam and dance floor will have the added value of a slippery bubble bath base. Best to turn on and off and use in moderation.
3. You can loop snow falling visuals forever. If your projector is limited, or the venue size is an issue, just remember that snow looks good falling from almost any angle or perspective. It ends up adding to the ambiance of the venue instead of drawing too much attention.
Here are some photos from the event.
