Soarin’ Soirée brightening events across Fairfield community

When Maggie Hanks set out to decorate for her family’s birthdays and milestones, she never imagined it would grow into Soarin’ Soirée, a balloon styling business that now brightens events across Fairfield and beyond. What began as a quiet love of color, texture, and storytelling through balloons has become a way to make people feel celebrated, one installation at a time.

Maggie’s approach is about more than design. As a woman business owner, she connects to a broader story. The suppliers she chooses employ workforces where women make up more than sixty percent. That connection matters to her. It means that from the hands tapping latex from the trees to the artists who design and install the decor, women are shaping celebrations from start to finish.

Her work came center stage last summer when Soarin’ Soirée was invited to decorate the Fairfield bandstand for the Main Street award ceremony. Rather than simply filling the space with color, Maggie chose to mirror the Fairfield logo: a bold “F” designed to look like a tree with multicolored branches. The installation transformed the bandstand into a living emblem of the town itself, a celebration of creativity, community, and growth. Sponsored locally, the project was not about promotion. It was about community enrichment; a reminder of how public art can connect us back to our shared identity.

Sustainability has been part of Maggie’s business model from the very beginning. When she launched Soarin’ Soirée, she wanted celebrations to feel special without leaving a heavy mark on the environment. The balloons she uses are made from natural rubber latex, tapped from living trees in a process much like collecting maple syrup. These plantations are managed responsibly, many certified for forest stewardship and carbon neutrality. Unlike plastics, natural latex is biodegradable and breaks down over time much like a leaf. Packaging is shifting toward recycled content, and factory scrap is being repurposed into new products rather than discarded. The industry is also trialing post-consumer recycling programs. Production facilities are moving toward renewable energy and water reuse projects, part of a wider commitment to what is called visible environmental management: measuring impacts and closing cycles so the entire process contributes positively to climate goals.

Her own practices reflect the same mindset. Every installation is anchored and secured, never released into the sky. After each event, balloons are deflated and collected to keep them out of waterways and landscapes. It is a full-circle approach: from renewable materials to responsible cleanup, joy is celebrated without leaving a scar.

At its heart, Soarin’ Soirée is about more than arches and garlands. It is about helping people feel seen, valued, and connected, whether at a wedding, a child’s birthday, or a town square dressed in colors that reflect its own logo. For Maggie, every palette tells a story, every design enriches a space, and every balloon is a chance to celebrate responsibly.