For Maria Ramos Arias, founder of Balloon Chica, balloon art is not just a business —it is a lifelong passion that brings so much joy to the Pascack Valley. Arias discovered balloon art back when she was working as a character actor with a children’s entertainment company. It was there that she learned the art of balloon twisting before the company moved to Florida, leaving Arias to continue her work independently.
Arias was a stay-at-home mom to her four children, while twisting balloons on the weekends. As the years progressed and her children got older, she had more time to practice twisting. Arias would work a party here and there to give her a creative outlet, but the success was yet to come.
Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunity knocked. After making a birthday post about a twisted balloon sculpture for her friend, the post made its way around the Pascack Valley. More and more clients began requesting home deliveries of her balloon creations, and from there, Balloon Chica was re-born. Her business shifted focus to premiere balloon sculptures, letting her showcase her skill and passion for balloons in a new light.
“I still do balloon twisting and am hands-on with the kids, which I love” Arias explained, “but doing balloon décor is also something I love since it gives me the freedom to construct it in my home studio, bring it, set it up, and leave afterword.”
Balloon Chica’s catalogue of possible structures are as vast as your imagination. Arias offers a variety of statues, arches, and garlands to help make your party pop. She also offers helium bouquets and stuffed balloons—clear balloons filled with gifts or surprises, making them perfect for special occasions and holidays.
During her company’s growth, the Balloon Chica name made its way into the corporate world. Arias has done work for the Town of Secaucus, the Palisades Mall, Hackensack Meridian Hospital, Hofstra University and even Amazon. She has continuously been called back to these companies for holiday events, movie premiers, and employee recognition and fare wells.
Beyond local celebrations and corporate events, Arias has made her mark on the larger balloon artist community. In the summer of 2024, she volunteered her time to Balloon Story Live in New York City. The collaborative construction project for balloon artists used over 600,000 balloons to create an amazing display in the Park Avenue Armory.
“The whole place was just transformed,” she recalled. “It was out of this world. Being part of that was a dream come true—it was a bucket list moment.”
Even with that impressive achievement, Arias is determined to continually hone her craft. She attends at least one of several balloon artist conventions each year and takes continuing education courses to expand her skills and stay inspired—always with the goal of bringing more joy to her clients.
That drive to spread joy is the most rewarding part to Arias, each smile amplifying her love of her art through good and bad times.
“Sometimes I’ll leave a job feeling unsure about how something turned out,” she said. “But then people come up and say, ‘That was the best balloon décor ever.’ That makes everything worth it.”
Arias’ efforts to bring that happiness to our community continues to lift spirits throughout the Pascack Valley and beyond—and it’s clear her love for balloons is not popping anytime soon.
For more information, visit balloonchica.com, follow them on Instagram @balloonchicanj, or call 732-841-4391.