Name of business: Party It Up Cali

Type of business: Party and entertainment services

Location: Turlock (mobile)

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Friday, responses within 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays, closed on Mondays

Contact information: PartyItUpCalifornia@gmail.com or (209) 303-0230

Specialty: Children’s events

History of business:

Alondra Blanco began her journey as an event host and owner of Party It Up Cali in 2015 when her son, Kadyn, celebrated his third birthday. She was determined to give her son the best birthday possible considering they couldn’t celebrate it the previous two years due to financial issues. The fact that Kadyn was also diagnosed with moderate to severe autism and was nonverbal for the majority of his early years was extra motivation.

“I wanted to make his party a memorable one, so I booked his favorite cartoon character not knowing if he would freak out or actually enjoy the visit,” she said. “At that time, he was obsessed with Woody [from “Toy Story”]. When I finally had just enough saved up, I went for it.”

Blanco was unsure of how Kadyn would react to Woody, but he would soon be lit up with joy and finally look his mother in her eyes.

“I never lost sight of my son to witness his reaction. Kadyn, full of excitement, looks over to me and gives me an unforgettable look. For the first time, my son looked at me in my eyes with so much happiness. It was that moment I knew the character visit was worth every penny,” she said.

From that point forward, Blanco felt a special connection with her son and wanted other families to have similar experiences. She spent the following months studying the industry and implementing things into her own small business.

“From the beginning I wanted to do a one-stop shop of children’s entertainment and party services and have reasonable prices because I know the struggle of being a single parent. I wanted to give back to local communities and spread autism awareness,” she explained.

Her father, mother, brother and other extended family members have assisted Blanco in her business endeavors, which are now approaching seven years. Party It Up Cali is currently offering a wide range of services, including party rentals, character visits, party planning, face painting and other children’s activities. They currently serve Turlock residents and those within a 35-mile radius of the city.

Blanco’s services in Turlock and the surrounding communities have received high praise and popularity through social media. She believes that the fact that they are truly based in family values is what makes them unique.

For more information or to make a reservation, Blanco encourages the public to head to their website, www.partyitupcali.com, or to their social media accounts, @partyitupcali on both Instagram and Facebook.