The BAM Mascot Family Blog

Performing Outside? Here's How to Keep Your Mascot Cool

[fa icon="calendar"] Jun 7, 2017 4:38:00 PM / by Angie Maxine

 Summer is a prime season for outdoor community events, festivals and activities. With many regions experiencing above-normal temperatures, it means that mascots will be feeling extra warm when performing outside.

If your mascot will be out and about this summer, entertaining crowds and spreading mascot cheer, you will want to be sure that your performer doesn’t overheat.

BOOM BOOM at the Pool

Here are some great ways to keep your mascot performer cool this summer.

1. Wear the Right Clothing:

We recently published a blog on what to wear under your mascot costume. We recommend having your mascot wear light-weight, sweat wicking materials that will help keep them comfortable. They may also want to opt for a sweat band, to keep excess moisture away from their eyes. And, don’t forget about cooling vests! They are a great option for staying cool for long periods of time. If you want to check out all of our clothing tips head over to our Blog.

2. Plan Routine Breaks:

Your fans and followers love your mascot, which keeps your mascot busy – performing cool tricks, dancing with fans, playing games, taking pictures and having a generally fun time. But even a super energetic mascot needs a break. Your mascot should take a 5 minute break every 15 minutes or so. Some of these breaks should involve your performer taking some personal time to drink water, use the facilities, and maybe grab a bite to eat. But many of these breaks can involve them staying in character doing low key activities, which will give them an opportunity to reenergize. Maybe they can sit down for some staged poses or take a relaxing break in the shade. If they are a team mascot, they can join players on the bench, and if you are an organization, they sit at your event booth.

IMG_4110-140433-edited.jpg

3. Have more than one Mascot:

It can be very helpful to have rotating performers, especially for prolonged events. If you know the temperatures will be higher than usual and have access to additional performers, have them take turns on the day of the big event. They will appreciate the time to get out of character to cool off and you will benefit from mascots that are high energy all day long.

4. Drink a Lot of Water:

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times before, but be sure your performer drinks plenty of fluids. While it may mean more breaks, it will make sure your mascots performance is optimized and everyone will feel better for it. If they feel thirsty then they haven’t been drinking enough. The same could be true if their mouth becomes dry, their vision blurs, they aren’t sweating as much, they feel tired and/or they have a headache. If any of these signs occur, they could be dehydrated and it may be time to call it a day.

5. Plan Your Mascot Design:

If you know that your mascot will be performing for long periods in the sun, design your costume to suit the environment. Ensure there is strategic ventilation, such as through the eyes, mouth and nose. Depending on your design, there may be other places that the ventilation can be placed as well. In addition to ventilation, adding a battery powered fan to the costume is possible in some cases, and can help expel warm air and cool down the performer.

Bucky the Mascot

At the end of the big game or special performance, you, your mascot, and your fans will have a much more enjoyable time if you’ve taken the necessary steps to keep your mascot cool and comfortable in the heat.

If you don’t have a mascot for your summer festivities and are looking to make a custom creation, contact us today!

Topics: Mascot Performing Tips, Caring for Mascots

Written by Angie Maxine

Angie is a co-owner and partner of BAM Mascots, a leading Canadian maker of custom designed mascots.

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