T
hroughout central Il-
linois Doug Smith of The
Unique Twist is known as
the “balloon guy”. You know, the
one who tells really corny jokes as
he is creating an over-the-top bal-
loon creation. He’s the one you
see at a multitude of venues on
most weekends and some week-
nights. He entertains not only the
kids, but parents, grandparents
and the seemingly disinterested
singles that instantly become
captivated with his jokes and the
balloons to match.
In short, his audience knows no
boundaries.
What started as a simple way
to entertain family and friends
back in 1995 has turned into a
thriving part-time business, with
350-
plus gigs a year and the ad-
dition of four associate balloon
artists, known as the Twisting
Crew.
By Cathi Hawkinson
54
thePeorian.com
Doug Smith, the busiest balloon artist is Peoria, usually
wears a big smile when working his craft for children at
various events, public and private, throughout the area.
