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Birthday Parties

Enjoy the Moment

Birthday Parties
We have all been to birthday parties hosted indoors--the blinking lights, the strip mall vibe, the kids bouncing off the walls. The Desert of Maine is a beautiful natural setting that is big enough to contain kids' excitement, allowing adults to relax and enjoy the special moments.

Base Package

All birthday parties at the Desert include:
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  • Desert Tent - 2 hour rental of our 20'x40' wedding-style tent which overlooks the dunes
    • Tables, chairs, tablecloths, plates, cups, and plasticware for up to 80 guests
    • A 120qt cooler with ice
    • Access to a cart for carrying stuff to the tent
  • Access to the dunes - Access includes all features and exhibits such as Gemstone Village, the Fossil Dig, the Natural Playground for up to 2 hours (concurrent with tent rental)
  • Staff - Our Welcome Center staff will be available to ask questions as needed. If you ordered food, we will coordinate on timing and delivery to the tent!
  • Gems - Kids can find up to 3 gems in Gemstone Village and take them home
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Mini Golf

Enjoy 18 holes of the newly constructed Hermit's Adventure Golf opening early- to mid-June!  This course is fun and engaging for kids--a perfect activity that everyone will remember.

Food and Drinks

You have the option of pre-ordering discounted food and drinks from the Oasis Snack Bar:
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  • Grilled hot dogs
  • Drinks (organic juice boxes, bottled water, or canned beverages)
  • Chips
  • Scoop ice cream & soft serve

Suggested Itinerary

We have two time slots to choose from:
  • Morning - 10:0AM - 12:00PM
  • Afternoon - 2:00PM - 4:00PM
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Our suggested itinerary is as follows:
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  • Organizer arrives 30 minutes before to set up
  • Kids arrive and play on the playground for the first 15 minutes
  • Go to Gemstone Village or the Fossil Dig for 30 - 45 minutes
  • Spend an hour in the Desert Tent eating, opening presents, and socializing
  • Go back to the playground for parent pick up and departures
  • If you add mini golf, you can play before your designated time slot, during, or afterwards. If you choose a morning time slot, the mini golf course is usually quite empty right when we open at 9:00AM!
  • NOTE: You can add time to your tent rental if you want to be more leisurely about the whole affair. You can add up to one additional hour for the morning time slot (unless there is no one scheduled in the afternoon time slot, in which case you can add as much time as you need) or as much time as you need to the afternoon time slot. This works well if you have lots of adults and they all want to socialize for a bit longer! The additional fee is $100/hr.

Pricing

Base Package

Base package - $300
Access to the dunes and exhibits, Desert Tent rental for up to 10 children for 2 hours. $15 per each additional child. $100 for each additional hour (1 extra hour max for morning time slot if there is an afternoon party scheduled).

Note: Rental of the Desert Tent is a privilege reserved for members. If you are not yet a member, individual memberships can be purchased for as little as $50. Learn more here.  Most people upgrade to a Family membership so they can use it after the party! Member pays for itself by your second visit to the Desert of Maine. 

Additional Options

Mini golf - $10-$11/person
18 holes at our new adventure mini golf course opening in early- to mid-June

Ice cream - $4/person
Small soft serve ice cream + 1 topping​

Hot dog + potato chips + drinks - $5/person
Grilled hot dog + drink (organic juice box, bottled water, canned beverage)
You can buy hot dogs and drinks for just the kids, or kids and adults!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I bring my own food & drinks?  
    Yes!  We have a cart that you can use to bring it up to the tent. No alcohol permitted.
     
  • How long can guests stay at the Desert?
    2 hours, give or take
     
  • What happens if we're rained out?
    When you book your party, we will ask you for a rain date. We will do our best to reschedule your party as close to your desired rain date as possible.
     
  • What if I'm not sure how many kids will be coming?
    Just let us know your best estimate for planning purposes and we can true up the numbers up or down after the party.
     
  • Do you charge for parents / accompanying adults?
    No. We want as many chaperones as possible!
     
  • Is there any special programming associated with the birthday party?
    No. We provide the space and things like place settings, tables, chairs, etc. The kids don't really need our help to have fun here!​
     
  • Is the itinerary set in stone?
    Not all all. You have exclusive use of the Desert Tent for the entire time slot (plus 30 minutes to set up), and free and unlimited access to the dunes (general admission) for your guests. Sometimes kids spend most of the time in the playground. Other times they run around the dunes or get really enchanted with Gemstone Village. We don't exert any influence over how you structure your activities.
     
  • Do I have to be a member to book the tent?
    Yes. Individual memberships can be purchased for as little as $50 (25% for Freeport residents). You can also select a different membership level if you think you might take advantage of the many benefits.

Ready to Book?

If you are ready to book your party, check our Desert Tent Calendar and see if there is an available time slot for your chosen day. When you see something that works for you, click the "Book Now" below to fill out our Birthday Party inquiry form.  We will follow-up with an invoice for a 50% deposit to secure your date.
Questions before you book? Email us at events@desertofmaine.com

Enjoy the moment

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