NYC Party Planning Guide, Part 2: Vendors
The NYC party playbook: everything you need to throw a great kid's bash — venues, vendors, entertainers, decor, and more for birthday and any kid's party.
A few weeks ago, I shared a guide to the best venues for hosting your kid's party in NYC. This week, I'm rounding up all the details that actually bring a party to life — the vendors, the food, the entertainment, the little touches. Consider it your party planning guide, and — with end-of-year school parties in the mix — your go-to for those, too.
Below, I've marked my personal favorites with 🍭🍭🍭 — consider them my editor's picks for those that really deliver.
🍭🍭🍭 Need a gift for a kid? Books are always my answer — here are our favorites. And if you're looking for more, I've pulled together my favorite girl gifts, boy gifts, and gifts for preschoolers.
Paper Source: Reliable basics. Great for solid-color napkins, cake candles, gift wrap, and last-minute paper goods. I especially love their tissue paper garlands and honeycomb tissue paper decor — a perfect pop of color and super easy to set up.
Houses & Parties: A brilliantly maximalist world of tabletop, paper goods, and party decor. Everything is full of wit and whimsy — the opposite of restrained, in the best possible way.
🍭🍭🍭 Meri Meri: My go-to for kids’ party paper goods. Gorgeous themed plates, napkins, garlands, and party hats — the prints are beautiful, the quality is solid.
Modern State: A UES neighborhood institution (two locations on 3rd/72nd Street and Lex/86th Street). Excellent for last-minute party supplies, candles, balloons, and stationery — basically a one-stop-shop for the basics. I especially love their plastic cake stands, bowls, and serving platters.
🍭🍭🍭 Pavilion Paper: Hands down, the chicest paper plates I’ve seen. They look like china — beautifully patterned, elegant, but they’re paper. I love them so much I want to throw a party just to display them. Table Two Studio also makes delightful and gorgeous paper plates.
🍭🍭🍭 Here are the Amazon party and decorating finds I keep coming back to.
Modern State: See above — this is always my go-to for balloons
Balloon Saloon: A Tribeca icon since 1980. Incredible custom balloon decor for any size party, plus a store packed with retro toys and gag gifts that’s a destination in itself.
Staples: A genius hack — some locations will inflate balloons you bring in from home, so you can buy exactly what you want and skip the markup. (Call ahead to make sure your local location has a helium setup.)
The Nature Company: They come to you — with up to eight live animals chosen by your child. Snakes, bunnies, lizards, and more, brought by educators. An animal-loving child’s dream.
🍭🍭🍭 Bubble Parties with Sophie: Miss Sophie makes bubbles of all sizes for kids of all ages. She’s a seasoned children’s performer (Disney Cruise Line, etc.) with an energetic approach to group play. She does both indoor and outdoor shows, plus atmospheric bubbles for larger events. Such a hit!
🍭🍭🍭 ColorPop Workshop: While their gorgeous UES studios are wonderful, they also do beautiful outdoor setups in the park, and if you’re out in the Hamptons, they’ll come to your backyard. The setups are perfectly executed — my kids are always captivated by the projects.
Creativities Studio: A one-stop-shop for party entertainment that’s actually creative. They send instructors to your location for parties built around dance, art, STEM, fashion, or even kids’ culinary classes. A great option if your child has a specific interest you want to lean into — and a refreshing change from the usual party rotation.
Crazy Science Show: For science-loving kids, this is a hit. Hands-on experiments with dry ice, liquid nitrogen, and other “scientific miracles” — kids actually participate, not just watch. Educational and impressive in equal measure.
Magic-Al: He makes the rounds at every birthday party I've been to — the most popular magician on the circuit. If you want a magician, he’s the safe bet.
Jonathan Blair Magic: Another excellent magic option to know — great for slightly older kids who want a more polished, sleight-of-hand show.
Wendy the Pipe Cleaner Lady: Wendy turns pipe cleaners into the most elaborate creations — animals, crowns, characters, anything kids dream up. A lovely, low-key option that’s nice as an add-on activity if you want to mix it up beyond balloon twisting.
Silly Billy: Confession — I’m truly not a fan of Silly Billy. But kids love him, parents book him constantly, and he’s basically a NYC institution at this point, so he belongs on this list whether I like it or not.
Sammie and Tudie: Same goes for these two. Not my personal favorite, but the kids genuinely love them, and if you have a clown-loving kid, they’re the move.
Princess Rental: It really makes me cringe, but if you have a princess-loving child, As You Wish Princess Parties is an option. Dave’s Cast of Characters is another option to consider if you absolutely need Taylor Swift to make an appearance.
Is it just me or has face painting gotten incredible in the last couple of years?! Here are the ones I've spotted at parties that consistently impressed me: Melina Prom, We Adorn You, Ivy Celebration
Most of them offer or have partnerships with other party add-ons like glitter tattoos, balloon twisting, hair braiding etc. as a packaged deal, which I think is the way to go
Mohr’s Explorers: Outdoor adventure-style birthday parties in Central Park, led by Mike and his team. Two hours of age-appropriate, outdoorsy games and activities — they meet you at the park and tailor the activities around your child’s interests. A really lovely option for nature-loving kids and the rare party that doesn’t feel cookie-cutter.
🍭🍭🍭 Confidence Soccer: Coach Nico is a wonderful instructor — my kids have absolutely loved him. He’ll come to wherever you’re hosting and run a soccer-focused party that’s both skill-building and a ton of fun.
Kids in Sports: They’ll send coaches to Central Park for your party, and the best part is they handle their own permitting (a huge headache saved). Multi-sport or sport-specific options.
JOÜK Soccer: A more technically focused soccer option, with licensed, highly experienced coaches. Great for kids who are already into the sport. They’ll come to Central Park or wherever you’re hosting.
Fastbreak Sports: Their Home Court package brings coaches, equipment, and activities to your location. The coaches are energetic, organized, and great with all ages. They also host parties at their UES studio if you’d rather skip the setup.
🍭🍭🍭 Égo: I cannot rave enough about Ego. If you’ve spent a warm afternoon in Central Park, you know him without knowing him — he’s the guy with the trumpet playing Disney classics, and somehow there’s always a dance party forming around him. Every time we've had Ego at a party, it's been a huge hit. Singing Happy Birthday just hits differently with a trumpet accompanying.
Jam with Jamie: A one-stop-shop for kids’ party entertainment, with packages for every age group from babies through age 10. They can also bring photography, custom songs, balloon twisting, and face painting — great if you want everything handled in one booking.
Ramblin’ Dan: A longtime NYC family favorite. Genre-bending fun — rock, reggae, folk, hip hop, and original kids’ songs all in one set, performed by professional musicians. Great for the 0–3 crowd.
Little Maestros: Their parties bring Broadway-quality entertainers and world-class musicians, with options like a puppet show, parachute, limbo, bubbles, and more. You can customize your band size from 1 to 6 teachers depending on budget.
🍭🍭🍭 Butterfield Market: My reliable choice for drop-off catering. They handle everything from simple platters to elaborate menus, with delivery between 50th and 125th Streets. Easy, beautifully presented, and consistent every time.
Murray’s Cheese: For a serious cheese moment, no one does it better. Their catering team will build a custom cheese spread or board scaled to any size party.
Charcuterie NYC: Beautifully styled boards and grazing spreads. Another excellent option if you want a charcuterie centerpiece without the work.
🍭🍭🍭 Party Box: Their signature brioche tea sandwiches are always a hit — every single time I serve them at a party, guests follow up afterward asking for the contact info. Their website isn’t much, but trust me on this! Order ahead.
Quality Thyme: For a stunning grazing table moment. Their setups are gorgeous, abundant, and instantly elevate any event — great when you want the food itself to feel like part of the décor.
Party Waiters (for staffing): When you need an extra set of hands, this is a great resource. Reliable, professional staff for serving, bartending, and cleanup — completely changes the experience of hosting.
Perfect Picnic: The easiest way to throw a beautiful park party. They do everything from grab-and-go kids’ picnics to full-service setups (their Carousel Picnic Party at Central Park is a dreamy birthday option — serves up to 100 with food and ride tickets included). They handle setup, food, and cleanup, so you can actually enjoy the day.
Bohemian Picnics: For when you want the picnic itself to be the event. Their luxe, bohemian-style setups — think low tables, layered textiles, beautiful florals, and abundant charcuterie — are stunning, and they’ll set up indoors or outdoors anywhere in the tri-state area. Especially great if you want a strong visual moment to anchor the party.
🍭🍭🍭 Magnolia Bakery: An NYC classic for a reason. Their cupcakes and cakes are always a crowd-pleaser, and there’s something so quintessentially New York about Magnolia.
🍭🍭🍭 Billy’s Bakery: Their classic cupcakes and cakes are charming, unfussy, and reliably delicious — beautifully decorated without trying too hard.
fluff + fluff: I can’t tell if this belongs in the desserts section or entertainment because it’s the perfect intersection of both. Artisanal cotton candy made with organic cane sugars and all-natural flavors — kids absolutely love it. It’s as much a visual moment as it is a delicious and beautiful sweet treat.
The Rounds: For a major pop of color. Their cookies come in the cutest shapes and brightest hues — a great move if you want the dessert table to be part of the décor.
🍭🍭🍭 Ooo Goody makes the most delightful and completely customizable goody bags — thoughtfully curated with treasures from around the world, beautifully styled, and zero work for you.
DIY tip: A Cricut machine is a game-changer if you're crafty. Personalized water bottles, totes, or party gear feel instantly special — and you'll find endless uses for it well beyond birthdays.
BonBon Party Boxes: All the best candy, gorgeously packaged and super easy. A guaranteed hit with kids.
If you’re thinking about throwing a party in Central Park, the permit question alone can feel like a big question mark. Here’s what I’ve learned to date:
The official rule: NYC Parks requires a Special Event Permit for any gathering of 20 or more people. Permits are $25 and take 21–30 days to process; the online application to file is here. The honest reality: Plenty of families throw smaller park parties without one — and that’s totally allowed. For larger parties, many parents do skip the permit and roll the dice. It’s rarely enforced for low-key gatherings, but it’s a gamble: a permit doesn’t reserve a spot exclusively, and if a permit-holder shows up at “your” picnic area, you’ll have to move. My take: If you’re doing fewer than 20 people, you’re fine — show up early and claim a good spot. If you’re crossing 20 people, I’d just get the permit. It’s $25, the online application is pretty straightforward, and the peace of mind is real.
A few things to know about Central Park parties that aren’t always obvious:
No tables or chairs allowed in Central Park (blankets only).
No amplified sound without a separate permit from your local police precinct. So no big speakers — battery-powered Bluetooth at low volume is the move.
No bounce houses or inflatables without a separate (and complicated) approval.
Playgrounds cannot be permitted — they’re always public.
If you’re hiring a vendor (Kids in Sports, picnic companies, etc.), many of them handle the permitting on their end, which is a huge headache saved.
Here are some of the best spots for a kid’s birthday in the park:
Arthur Ross Pinetum (around 84th, near the Great Lawn) — picnic tables, open lawn, shade, and a low-key playground.
Heckscher Playground (south end) — picnic tables and a big play structure.
Pilgrim Hill (East 72nd entrance) — a sloped lawn, beautiful in spring.
Sheep Meadow — gorgeous and central, but very crowded on weekends.
Cedar Hill (East 79th) — a reliable, sunny pick for picnics.
That’s all I got for now! As always, this list will be a living document. So, if you think I missed a vendor in this list above and would like to recommend one, I’d love to hear it (you can message me here)!
Finally, are you wrapping a present for someone? I loved this post from Jessie Randall so so much.