Incorporating Dry Ice Into Your Party Theme Safely

Dry ice is an awesome item for a party, and is particularly popular around Halloween. This ice is so cold that it actually can burn the skin if you don't handle it properly.  There are some safety tips that you should be aware of before you use dry ice to create a bubbling brew or thick fog at your party venue.

Before you add your dry ice, consider the following tips to use dry ice effectively and safely:

All dry ice is not the same. When you plan on using dry ice to create a bubbling brew or punch, only use food-grade ice, available from most commercial ice suppliers.

Keep hands-off. Dry ice can harm the skin and leave a painful red mark if you touch it, so handle it only with gloves or tongs. Treat the mark as you would a burn.

Get some air in there. Only use dry ice in a well-ventilated area, as the fumes contain CO2 which can be toxic in enclosed areas.

Don't mix things up too much. Never mix dry ice and regular ice together, such as in a punch bowl or cocktail. Ladle punch into cups from your bowl containing dry ice, and then add regular ice to the individual servings, if desired.

Watch where you put it. Be careful where you set or place your dry ice when getting ready for your party. It is cold enough to crack a surface such as tiled or ceramic counters.

Keep an eye on the kids. Don't allow children to play around dry ice unsupervised.

Give it some air. When storing your dry ice, don't use an airtight container. The dry ice will create a pressurized environment in the container, which could burst.

Create some fog. To create a good rolling fog at your party, combine around a pound of dry ice to each gallon of hot water.

Go big or go home. Use big chunks of ice in your punchbowl, a couple pounds per gallon of punch. Don't use small pieces or bits as it could be inadvertently served and swallowed.

Watch it float. Dry ice will initially sink in water, or punch, and as it melts it will float on the top. Be sure to remove these smaller, floating pieces before serving to your guests.

There are so many cool ways to incorporate dry ice into your party theme!

• Fill a large punch bowl with colored water and dry ice. Use colored lights pointed directly at the bowl to create a colorful focal point for your table.
• Use fans to direct the fog from dry ice toward your stage, venue, or wherever you want your fog to roll in!
• Try making a signature drink during a cocktail party using dry ice; check out some of the cool recipes that are sure to get attention at your next bash! 

To learn more about dry ice, contact a company like Chilly Willy & Cool Carl's Ice.