Room for New Ideas
Joy's curiosity helped move the company forward. Trying an activity, refining an experience, and taking a thoughtful risk were part of building a collection that gave communities something new to enjoy.
Our Story & Values · Express Events
A Shared Vision.
A Lot of Hard Work.
A Community of Smiles.
Express Events grew from Mike and Joy Paul's belief that a well-planned celebration could bring families closer and give communities something to look forward to. Joy brought the imagination. Mike brought the determination to help build it. Together, they created the foundation for the experiences we share today.
Woman-OwnedRooted in Southern CaliforniaBuilt on Jolly JumpsHands-On Leadership
Before the Events,
There Were Two People with an Idea.
Our story is also the story of Jolly Jumps. It is a story of a shared life, a willingness to take risks, and years of work behind the scenes. The trucks, attractions, and celebrations came later. First came the people, the purpose, and the belief that they could build something worthwhile together.
01 · A Road West. A Foundation for What Came Next.
The Work Ethic Came First.
Around 1965, a young Michael rode his motorcycle from the Chicago area to Southern California to start a new life. His years working for Pacific Bell gave him a foundation in steady work, saving carefully, and building toward the future.
Mike believed in getting your hands dirty, giving the work your full effort, and refusing to cut corners. Those habits would later help turn new ideas into trucks, equipment, attractions, and a business capable of bringing them to communities.
“A penny saved is a penny earned.”
02 · A Partnership with Purpose.
Joy Imagined the Experience. Together, They Built It.
Long before Express Events had a name, Joy spent years working in ministry and children's church programs. She helped grow programs that brought fun, safe, and meaningful experiences to children and their families. She saw what could happen when people had a reason to gather, take part, and feel connected.
That experience shaped her vision for community events. Joy wanted to experiment with activities, bring stories to life, and create experiences families could enjoy together. Mike backed that vision with practical thinking, careful financial decisions, and the hard work needed to make an idea happen.
03 · From Garage Space to Room to Grow.
Jolly Jumps Was the Beginning.
Jolly Jumps began in 1993. Mike and Joy purchased the company in 1997 and spent years building it together. Equipment filled their home garage as they handled orders, deliveries, and event preparations while growing their team.
Events were always part of the work. As Joy's ideas expanded, so did the possibilities: activities, entertainment, rides, and coordinated experiences that could give a neighborhood gathering its own personality.
Securing a building in Murrieta was a milestone they shared. It represented years of saving, work, and risk, along with space to keep developing the business they believed in.
04 · A Clearer Focus. A Stronger Name.
More Ideas. One Place to Bring Them Together.
The event side of the business evolved through several names as its focus became clearer. Around 2014 and 2015, Express Events began taking shape as a distinct brand dedicated to quality, full-service events and activities.
Jolly Jumps Events
New Vision Event
Vision Events
Express Events · Around 2015
The name reflected a practical promise: communities and associations could create engaging events with a team that helped make the process easier. Joy moved into building the event business full time, developing experiences and bringing the details together. Mike managed the fleet, rides, and demanding work that supported that growth.
Developing and managing activities in-house gave them more control over quality. Clean equipment, professional drivers and setup crews, organized preparation, and dependable follow-through became part of the experience they wanted every client to receive.
A Name That Keeps Us Moving
Our simple airplane logo represents the way we want an event to feel: trusted, clean, professional, efficient, and well organized. It reflects the care behind getting an experience ready and helping it run smoothly.
The People. The Equipment. The Ideas.
We Plan the Fun. We Bring It, Too.
Planning is a passion here, and our team brings much more than a plan. Express Events has an extensive collection of attractions and activities, backed by in-house professionals who train, prepare, and help bring those experiences to life.
Our in-house team includes trained face painters and character performers. Our experiences reach from live marine animal encounters to mobile escape rooms, laser tag, Ferris wheels, and themed photo backdrops. The people, equipment, and creative work behind those offerings are a defining part of who we are.
Our headquarters and training center is where ideas become activities, performers develop their skills, equipment gets prepared, and event plans become something we can load onto a truck and bring to your community. That connection between planning and delivery gives our team a practical understanding of the details, along with a hands-on role in the quality of the experience.
It is the continuation of what Mike and Joy built together: a place with the imagination to try something new and the people, tools, and determination to make it happen.
05 · Built Together. Carried Forward.
The Vision Continued. So Did the Work.
After Mike passed away in 2016, Joy took the helm and carried their shared work forward. She continued guiding the company through growth and difficult seasons, including the COVID pandemic, when gathering for events was largely no longer possible.
As communities began gathering again, Joy's determination helped the company return to serving its customers. Today, Express Events remains part of the woman-owned business led by Joy Paul, CEO and Owner. She stays actively involved with clients, planning, problem-solving, and the people who bring each event to life.
The Ideas Behind the Attractions.
A Passion That Still Moves Us
Mike enjoyed the work of bringing an attraction to life: learning how it worked, finding a way to build it, getting it ready, and bringing it home. The preparation and the journey mattered to him as much as the finished experience.
Pride in What Happens Behind the Scenes
The Jolly Express Trackless Train was one of Mike's personal passions. Inspired by railroad history and trains that once traveled through the Temecula Valley, it brought his interest in history and ingenuity into an experience families could share.
Mike loved traveling to bring equipment back and working alongside the people who helped make it happen. That enthusiasm still influences our team: taking pride in preparation, learning the details, and seeing the work through until guests can enjoy it.
Joy continues that spirit through her own ideas and daily involvement. The creativity clients see at an event depends on the care and effort that come before it.
Work. Learning. Community.
A Ripple of Opportunity
The company also created opportunities for people around Mike and Joy. Friends, neighbors, and members of their family worked as employees and teammates, helping deliver events while learning new skills. Mike enjoyed teaching what he knew and welcoming the next generation into the work.
That impact continues today. Joy's children and grandchildren have had opportunities to work alongside people from many other families in the community. Their contribution is part of a wider team connected by showing up, learning, helping one another, and taking responsibility.
A job here reaches beyond an event day. It can help someone develop practical skills, support a family, and build relationships. Joy carries that responsibility into the decisions she makes about the company's future and the people who rely on it.
Local Roots. New Possibilities.
A Place Where Ideas Grow
One idea often leads to another. The curiosity that helped shape Express Events also connects the experiences and brands within our company family. Each offers a different way to bring people together through participation, learning, and enjoyment.
Jolly Jumps
The foundation of our story. Inflatable rentals, attractions, and hands-on service helped build the experience and standards behind Express Events.
Explore Jolly Jumps →Jolly Express
Mike's interest in railroad history became a trackless train experience that continues to bring families together at community celebrations.
Explore the Jolly Express →SchoolSide
Hands-on educational experiences bring discovery directly to schools, giving students opportunities to participate and connect learning with something they can experience.
Explore SchoolSide →Traveling Tidepools
Mobile marine experiences introduce live sea life and ocean discovery to schools, community gatherings, and special events.
Explore Traveling Tidepools →The Standards Behind the Experience.
What Our Values Look Like
Our history matters most when it shows up in today's work: how we prepare, how we communicate, how we treat people, and how we follow through.
Thoughtful Creativity
We look for activities that fit the people and purpose of an event. A new idea earns its place by creating an experience guests can participate in and enjoy together.
Dependable Follow-Through
Preparation, delivery, setup, and event-day details all matter. We take commitments seriously and work to carry a plan through to the experience our clients are counting on.
Care & Quality
Clean equipment, maintained attractions, and professional presentation reflect the standards Mike and Joy worked to build. Quality depends on the work done before guests arrive.
Clear Communication
We listen, explain requirements, and help bring details into focus. Community managers and event teams deserve clear expectations about their venue, services, and schedule.
Integrity & Respect
We value honest answers, accountability, and treating people with consideration. Taking responsibility for our work includes responding to concerns and working toward a solution.
People Working Together
Events depend on a team willing to help, share knowledge, and learn. We value the effort of planners, drivers, setup crews, operators, entertainers, and everyone supporting them.
Care for Our People
The people who work here, and the families who depend on them, are part of our story. We want team members to feel valued, supported, and encouraged to grow as they learn the work.
That care goes hand in hand with professional expectations: dependability, accountability, communication, and respect. A team that takes care of its work and one another helps us serve our customers well.
The Next Chapter Is a Gathering.
Today, we help communities across Irvine, Orange County, South Orange County, Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Riverside County, the Inland Empire, and Southern California create events residents look forward to. The ideas keep evolving. The commitment to quality, people, and following through stays with us.
