By KALEY CONNER

kconner@dailynews.net

A pile of small shoes was accumulating rapidly as children of all ages ran towards the colorful inflated playground.

The moonwalk rented for Victoria's May Fidelisfest resulted in a lot of laughter and a lot of fun -- that is, until children reluctantly left to go home.

And fun is (literally) the name of the game for this local business.

For the past eight years, Hays resident Jason Juhan has found an enjoyable part-time job with Moonwalks for Fun, a Wichita-based business that rents party equipment for a variety of special occasions.

"Everybody likes to be entertained, and that's what we specialize in," Juhan said.

From after-prom parties to county fairs and company picnics, the business' goal is to enhance the occasion.

With more than 100 varieties of moonwalks available, the company has something for everyone, he said.

The business' inventory includes huge obstacle courses, bouncers, inflatable castles and several themed playgrounds, such as Dora the Explorer, Hello Kitty and SpongeBob SquarePants, which are especially popular for children's birthday parties.

Older kids, or the young at heart, also enjoy pieces like the bungee run and pedestal joust. Other attractions include "human foosball" and "human bowling," where someone is loaded securely into a metal cage bowling ball and pushed towards 5-foot tall soft bowling pins.

The company is one of the few to offer water inflatables, with equipment like inflatable slip 'n' slides and water slides.

Other activities include rock climbing walls, a Velcro wall, inflatable Twister and a mechanical bull. Casino games also are available.

"Everywhere from basically age 2 clear to grandparents," Juhan said. "Everybody can enjoy what we have."

Rates vary by each piece, but Juhan said the company makes an effort to accommodate any budget.

As one of the only inflatable companies in the state, Juhan has a large area to cover. He's based in Hays but travels from the Colorado border to the Missouri border, covering events throughout the state.

The company as a whole also caters to part of Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Juhan, with the help of a few assistants, sets the equipment up, teaches customers how to use it, and takes care of clean-up after the event.

The company actually got its start in Wichita about 20 years ago and has continued to expand, Juhan said, noting inventory has grown exponentially in less than a decade.

"Business is good. Pretty much we get busier every year," he said. "It keeps growing; that's what we like to see."

For more information about the business, visit www.moonwalksforfun.com or call (316) 722-3232.