Everything you need to know before we bring the party to you.
Before the fun begins
Tap a question below for a quick answer. If your event is a little different, send us the details and we’ll help you figure out the best fit.
First things first
Dates, availability and getting your celebration on our calendar.
What kinds of events can I book Happy Hippo for?
We bring the fun to birthdays, graduations, school and daycare events, weddings, fundraisers, community events, family celebrations, corporate events and plenty more.
How do I book Happy Hippo?
Start by visiting our booking page and sending us your event details, including your date, location, estimated guest count and the Happy Hippo experience you’re interested in. We’ll review your request and confirm availability with you.
How far in advance should I book?
The earlier, the better, especially for weekends, warm-weather dates, school events and larger celebrations. If your event is coming up soon, you can still reach out. We’ll let you know what we have available.
Can I book Happy Hippo for a last-minute event?
If we have availability, absolutely. Send us your event details and we’ll see what we can make work.
What area does Happy Hippo serve?
Happy Hippo serves the DMV area and surrounding communities. Send us your event address when booking so we can confirm availability for your location.
Tell us about your event
Tell us about your event and venue. We’ll determine the setup that fits best.
How does Happy Hippo decide which setup to bring?
You don’t need to choose a bus, kiosk or cart. Tell us about your event, venue, guest count, available space and whether you’ll be indoors or outdoors. Our team will determine which Happy Hippo setup is the best fit for your event and venue.
What’s the difference between the bus and kiosk setups?
The Safari Bus is our signature mobile Happy Hippo experience. Our kiosk and cart setups give us more flexibility for locations where bringing in the full bus isn’t the best fit.
Can Happy Hippo set up indoors?
Yes. Our Shaved Ice Kiosk is designed for indoor celebrations and venues where an outdoor mobile setup isn’t practical.
Do I need to know which setup my event needs?
Nope. Just tell us about your venue, guest count, event type, available space and whether you’ll be indoors or outdoors. We’ll review the details and select the bus, kiosk or cart setup that makes the most sense for your event. If we need more information, we’ll reach out before your booking is finalized.
Do you need to see where we’ll be setting up?
Yes, we may ask you to send a clear photo of the available service area at your venue. This helps us plan for access, space and equipment and determine the best setup before we arrive.
Show the available service area plus enough of the surrounding space for us to understand access, parking, entry points and how much room we have to work with.
The cool stuff
Sweet, colorful and made to be mixed your way.
What shaved ice flavors do you have?
Our shaved ice flavor lineup includes:
Can guests mix more than one flavor?
Absolutely. Mix, match and experiment. That’s half the fun.
What if one of my guests has a food allergy?
Please contact us before your event with any ingredient or allergy questions. Products can vary, so we’re happy to provide the information available for the items being served at your event.
Bring on the extras
Shaved ice can be just the beginning.
What comes with the scooped ice cream option?
When added to a shaved ice or mini donut experience, our scooped ice cream add-on includes 20 servings and a full toppings bar.
What comes with the mini donut option?
Mini donuts include 60 servings, with six mini donuts in each serving. You can choose from a selection of flavors.
Hot cocoa and hot apple cider can also be added for an extra cozy touch, especially for fall and winter events.
Is bubble fun included with my event?
Yes. Bubble fun is complimentary with eligible Happy Hippo experiences. It’s one of the little extras we bring to make the event feel even more fun, lively and memorable.
Can I add a foam party?
Yes. Foam is available for appropriate outdoor events and can turn your celebration into an entirely different Happy Hippo experience.
Can I combine several treats and add-ons?
In many cases, yes. Tell us which experiences and extras you’re interested in when booking and we’ll confirm what can be combined for your venue and event.
Party time
A few things that help us keep everything smooth and stress-free.
What should I have ready before Happy Hippo arrives?
Make sure we have the correct event address, an event-day contact, clear access to the setup area and any parking or venue instructions our team needs to know.
Does Happy Hippo handle setup and cleanup?
For staffed Happy Hippo experiences, our team handles the setup and breakdown of our service area and equipment.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Weather can affect certain outdoor experiences. If the forecast may impact your event, contact us as soon as possible so we can review the situation with you.
What if my venue has limited parking or access?
Let us know ahead of time about gates, stairs, loading restrictions, parking rules, narrow entryways or anything else that may affect our setup.
Can Happy Hippo handle larger events?
Yes, depending on the event. Include your estimated attendance, serving count and event details when reaching out so we can determine the best service plan.
Raise funds. Serve something fun.
Schools, teams, nonprofits and community organizations can turn Happy Hippo treats into a fundraiser people actually get excited about.
Explore Fundraisers