Laughter and shouts of joy have started echoing from a formerly vacant business-space in the heart of Craig.

Sassquatch Party Rentals has opened an inflatable playland at 538 Pershing St. in Craig. Owner Caleb Cagle is hoping that it will contribute a new way for families throughout the Yampa Valley to celebrate, play and connect year-round. 

For Cagle, it’s more than just a business expansion — it’s the realization of a youthful vision that has been years in the making.

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Cagle first arrived in the Yampa Valley in 2019 and was drawn to the area primarily for recreation and to be near his friends. Originally, he planned to remain in the area temporarily, but that plan quickly changed after he arrived.

“I got the Yampa Valley curse and fell in love with the area,” he recalled. 

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Seasonal work and stints as a raft guide would eventually give way to a bigger, “funner” dream. 

While home in Tennessee, Cagle had a spark of inspiration when a family member mentioned that they had to drive several hours, and cross state lines, to rent a bouncy house for an event. 

“I decided that I wanted to open a bounce house rental business,” he said. 

When he returned to Colorado, Cagle planned to work the winter season and save money before launching the idea elsewhere. But his friends and coworkers suggested that he open the location in the Yampa Valley.

Encouraged by those who surrounded him, as well as the community, Cagle began laying the foundation for Sassquatch Party Rentals. He traveled throughout Northwest Colorado delivering inflatable fun to homes and events.

His first public setup was in Craig during the 2022 reggae festival. 

Craig, as it turned out, would eventually become a vital part of Cagle’s story. He explained that it was “a huge part” of where his clients came from for the first two summers he was in business. 

In 2023, Cagle began experimenting with what he called “pop-up events” at the Hayden Fairgrounds, which included a community haunted house. However, a business in Hayden presented challenges in terms of accessibility for his customer base. 

In April 2024, Cagle moved to Craig, becoming part of what he called a tightly-knit community that was both supportive and family-based.

“I feel like Craig is just kind of where we ended up being drawn more to, just naturally,” he said. 

Cagle opened a location at Centennial Mall in December 2024. While the location saw increasing business, he quickly realized it wasn’t big enough for his equipment or the amount of customers. 

He decided to revisit a building which he had looked at the previous year. That location, which was situated next to the post office, turned out to be exactly what he was looking for. 

“I jumped on the opportunity,” Cagle said. “I’m just so stoked with this space.”

The new facility offers much more than bounce houses. Inside, guests can enjoy inflatable slides, obstacle courses and a human hamster-ball arena. There is also inflatable axe throwing and games like Pac-Man, foosball, Connect Four and basketball shootouts. 

For families, there’s a dedicated area to host birthday parties and other celebrations as well. 

In the future, Cagle hopes to be able to host community events with food trucks, live music and even Friday night bands.

“I want to make it a fun thing where people can look forward to something every week,” he said. “That’s my goal.” 

He is also focused on making the experience affordable to families. 

Individual entry is $10 per hour, and party packages are $200 for two hours, which is comparable to other venues throughout Craig. Unless the facility is entirely rented for a private event, drop-ins are welcome, even during birthday parties. 

To encourage adults to play alongside their children, Cagle is offering a discounted rate of $5 for parents. 

“I want it to be available to everybody and I’m trying to make it as affordable as I can,” Cagle explained. 

Cagle plans to expand hours over time. Rentals of the equipment for larger events remains part of the operation and thus he is being careful to balance both aspects of the business. Eventually, he plans to upgrade all the inflatables in the facility with newer, more specialized equipment designed for indoor use. He will also continue to offer rentals at outdoor events as well.

Most importantly, the new center is designed to meet a pressing need in the community — a safe, engaging space where children and adults can have fun throughout the entire year. 

For a rural community like Craig, where entertainment options for kids can be limited, the new center is more than welcome for both parents and children. 

“Having a place like this really is really amazing,” said Lindsey Bonner as her 2-year-old son, Dex, eagerly and repeatedly threw himself down the slide. 

Bonner and her husband, who are from Hayden, stopped by so that Dex could “get his wiggles out” before they went shopping in Craig. 

Cagle is familiar with this sort of need firsthand. 

“I grew up in rural Tennessee so I understand what it’s like being a kid in a rural community,” he explained. “We don’t want to have to go to the city to have fun. That shouldn’t be something that’s necessary.”

Craig has, thus far, been the perfect fit. 

“With Craig, it’s not quite as touristy. There’s locals that are here all the time,” he said. “I just thought that this was such a great spot being right on the highway, right by the post office and right by City Market.”

As he reflected on the path that brought him and his business to Craig, Cagle didn’t hide the effort it took. Long nights, a persistently sore back and extensive hours setting up and taking down equipment are all part of what he sees as a community-driven journey. 

But ultimately, it’s the visible joy of the children that fuels him. 

“Hearing the kids laugh, seeing them smile and just having a good time means a lot to me,” said Cagle. “Even when I am exhausted, when those kids come in I know this was the right thing to do because they love it.”

Karen Cullen, who is 7, is one of the kids who loves it. 

“It’s like you’re having fun and you really don’t want to leave,” she said. “A lot of kids like to come here because they think that it’s way funner here than at their house or at the park. It’s way funner here than anywhere else.” 

Cagle’s dream is far from finished. He hopes to expand programming, offer fundraisers for local nonprofits and eventually become a regional destination for both kids and adults. 

“I feel like there’s a community here that supports it and deserves it,” Cagle said. “Somebody’s gotta do it at some point so I figured why not try? So far, I think it’s working.”

For more information, visit Sassquatchpartyrentals.com or the business’s Facebook, Instagram or TikTok pages.