Dunk Tanks: The Ultimate Fundraiser Games!
Whether you’re organizing school fundraisers or church functions, or setting up a fun neighborhood block party, or hosting the ultimate family reunion, dunk tanks are always a popular choice at carnival-style and festival-style events. But where can you find a dunk tank for sale, how much is a dunk tank, really? How much does it cost to buy one, and what accessories do you need?
Here’s something you won’t see many of our competitors admit. Not everyone reading this needs to actually buy a dunk tank. We’re not in the habit of selling people a bunch of stuff they don’t need. We'd rather see you spend your money on something your family can enjoy more regularly. Like one of our vinyl crossover bounce houses or inflatable water slides?
Anyway, back to the dunk tanks! If you can only reasonably see yourself setting up and using a dunking booth once or twice a year, you might be better off renting one. Call event and party rental companies in your area and see if they have dunk tanks, and compare their prices and services.
Having said all of that, many of you will put a dunk tank to good use a lot more frequently. Fundraisers, carnivals, festivals, backyard parties, block parties, graduations … there are lots of functions made better by the presence of a dunking booth. And if your event has a profit motive or is driven by donations, and you’re confident this event will happen year after year, buying a dunk tank is definitely a smart move.
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What is a Dunk Tank and How do They Work?
Dunk tanks are big barrels of water with a mechanical seat on top. A person—the dunkee—sits atop that seat. Meanwhile, event goers—the dunkers— throw balls at a relatively small target. If a ball firmly makes contact with the target, the seat drops out, and the "dunkee" falls into the barrel of water (from a safe distance, of course).
The "dunkee" sitting in the dunk tank is usually a prominent feature. Principals, math teachers, priests or pastors, company executives … any authoritative figure will do nicely. And if you don’t have someone suitable, you could just have someone dress as a clown or put on some other sort of silly outfit. Just make sure they’re safe getting dropped into water while wearing it!
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Fundraisers and for-profit events often charge event goers for their attempts, either per ball or per group of balls. It’s common to charge $1 or $2 per ball, or $3 to $5 for three balls. Some event organizers create special challenges, too, where multiple contestants take turns attempting to dunk their victim in a certain amount of time.
Depending on the notoriety of the person getting dunked, dunking booths tend to generate a lot of revenue during events, especially when the dunk tank is featured prominently in an area with lots of foot traffic. That’s why they’re so popular among rental operators. They’re extremely profitable and pay for themselves quickly.
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So How Much is a Dunk Tank? And What Accessories do I Need?
A heavy duty commercial grade dunk tanks costs about $4,200. That price includes everything you need to start using your new dunk tank right away, including a 500 gallon tank, a protective cage, targets, and balls for throwing.
You can of course buy additional components for your dunk tank, too. Canvases, additional throwing balls, and various parts are all available through Pogo’s dunk tank catalog.
A dunk tank might be pricey if you aren’t planning to use it regularly. But once you’ve set one up at a fundraiser event, you’re going to find yourself wondering why you never used one before. Dunk tanks are affordable, they pay for themselves in due time, and most importantly, they’re loads of fun!
If you need any help finding the right dunk tank, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 716-566-5806. Our sales team would love to help you find a brand new dunk tank and all of the parts you need to make it work. We hope to hear from you soon!
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