By Jacqui Saxon, 32 years in balloon décor, with displays built for The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Coca-Cola and Amazon. Last updated: 19 October 2026.
It taught me that a big build is won or lost on the relationship with the venue. On 9 July 1995 we dressed a Rolling Stones comeback concert at Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield with arches, columns and a suspended garland, and the balloons were the easy part. What made it work was the venue manager, the venue team, and a plan for every person who walked through the door to help us. Thirty-one years on, that is still how I run a corporate job.
What did we actually build for The Rolling Stones?
We were a fairly new business when someone from Sheffield International Venues asked us to dress the Rolling Stones show at Don Valley Stadium, which has since come down. It was a huge, important build, and we spent a week making installations in and around the stadium.
We built classic arches and columns, and bouquets of silver foil balloons printed with the SIV (Sheffield International Venues) logo. Then we made a garland, hung in the Sheffield International Venues colours, and suspended it above the statue celebrating the birth of stainless steel. Sheffield is rightly proud of that. The whole scheme used around 20,000 balloons.
I was not at the concert itself, and to be honest I was far more excited about the balloons than about meeting the stars, so I did not mind as much as you would think.
Why does the venue matter more than the balloons?
Because nobody sees the planning, and everybody sees the result. For a job that size we worked closely with the venue manager, Jo Menzies, and we worked through every issue together to get the best possible outcome. We talked through how to rig everything and how to organise the staff.
We also stayed in constant contact with the Don Valley Stadium team throughout, so we could sort any snags early rather than find them on the day. That habit has never left me. If you hire a decorator for a corporate event, ask whether they have worked in your venue before and who they will be speaking to there. A decorator who has already talked to your venue manager about access, rigging and timings is a very different proposition from one who turns up with a van.
How do you get 20,000 balloons inflated?
With a lot of help, and we were short of staff. As a young business, we press-ganged as many friends and family as we could to help with the inflating. That brings me to the lesson I would give any client, and it is not about balloons.
Look after the people doing the work. Organise them properly, so everyone knows what they are doing and where. And keep them fed and watered. Eating and drinking matter. A team that is rested, fed and knows its job builds faster, makes fewer mistakes and is still smiling at the end of a long day. I have carried that into every build since.
What does a 1995 stadium show have to do with an office party or a showroom launch?
More than you would expect. A car showroom, a hotel ballroom or a university awards night is a smaller version of the same job. You have a venue with its own rules, a deadline that will not move, and a lot to do in a short time. The size changes. The questions do not:
- Who is our contact at the venue, and have we spoken to them early?
- What are the rules on rigging, access and load-in times?
- Who is doing what, and who is looking after the team?
- What snags can we sort now instead of on the day?
When I say I have been doing this for 32 years, this is what I mean. I have not only made big things. I have learned how to make big things happen properly in someone else’s building. See my corporate event décor page for how that works today.
What should you ask your decorator before you book?
Ask whether they have worked in your venue before, and who they will speak to there. Then find out how they plan access, rigging and timings. And check what happens if something unexpected comes up on the day, and who is on site to deal with it. A good decorator will answer all of this without hesitating. My guides to balloon arch types and prices and what to tell your decorator will help you prepare.
Quick answers
On 9 July 1995, when Ultimate Balloon was still a young business. We spent a week making installations in and around the venue.
Classic arches and columns, bouquets of silver foil balloons printed with the SIV logo, plus a suspended garland in the Sheffield International Venues colours, hung above the statue celebrating the birth of stainless steel. We used around 20,000 balloons.
We worked closely with the venue manager, Jo Menzies, and stayed in constant contact with the Don Valley Stadium team so we could sort out any snags as we went.
Careful planning of how to rig the pieces, clear organisation of the team, and constant communication with the venue. It also means keeping everyone fed and watered, because a good team makes a good build.
Yes. Knowing the venue’s rules on access, rigging and timings, and having already spoken to the people who run it, takes a lot of risk out of your event.
Yes. I work with the venue from the start, so we sort access, timings and any snags before your event, not on the day.
