Jeff Baldus looked at his computer in his spacious office near the back of the 110 First Ave. SE building this spring and fought the urge to add to his collection.

Even with the Balloon Typhoon in his garage awaiting its Freedom Fest debut, Jeff was already eying the next piece to add to his slate of inflatables. Jeff watched a video and looked at pictures promoting an inflatable game, The Jungle Jumperoo, which looks like an inner tube that children could jump on while holding onto railings extending from the center for balance.

“I’m fighting myself,” Jeff said of the urge to purchase one.

A few hours later, Jeff had an admission: He’d just bought a Jungle Jumperoo online. It will be in Bandshell Park during Freedom Fest this year.

Jeff is a well-known face around Austin. Currently the director of the Austin Area Foundation, he was a Hardees regional manager, the original owner of Austin’s Culver’s, at one time worked for the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce and has served as Freedom Fest director since 2006.

But a part of his contribution to the annual celebration is easy for the public to overlook.

Jeff has purchased all of the inflatable games used at Bandshell Park during the Day in the Park and the Fourth each year, and he, along with a group of volunteers and workers, does much of the work setting them up and organizing the park festivities.

While Jeff admits it can sometimes be difficult to justify the expense, he described his work with Freedom Fest and buying the inflatables for the park as his hobby.

“It’s a lot of work, and people don’t realize that,” Jeff said. “But what keeps me doing it year after year is just the kids. The smile on their face; they’re all having a good time.”

Hopping on a hobby

It started with the Deluxe Burger Hopper.

The hopper, Jeff’s first inflatable, predates his Freedom Fest involvement.

Jeff purchased the inflatable to use at Hardees locations when he was regional manager for a company franchise. Once the franchise unit disbanded, Jeff kept the Deluxe Burger Hopper as part of his severance package, he jokes.

Jeff went on to open Culver’s, which he eventually sold. The hopper sat in his garage for a few years before it was put to use in 2005 when Jeff first got involved in the Fourth of July festivities. He brought the Deluxe Burger hopper that first year, which was used with a few games, but Jeff said there weren’t many things for children to enjoy. So that winter, Jeff got to work.

He researched online and started building his own games. He constructed several, and sought ways businesses could participate and contribute prizes.

At a convention for Culver’s, Jeff saw a model cow kids could milk as a game and learning tool.

“I’m like, ‘Man, that’s cool. I need one of those for my store here,’” Jeff said. “And so then I took that to the festival a couple years and used that as a little contest with the kids.”

In recent years, the games have been removed, as just offering inflatables is simpler for Jeff and his crew. This year will likely feature Captain Kirby, a pedal pull and horse wagon rides in the park, the National Guard will bring its climbing wall again, and there may be a selfie booth. Festival organizers are also adding a free activities tent for children.

As always, the center of the park activities will be the bandshell entertainment and Jeff’s inflatables.

“It’s a hobby; I do it for the good of it,” he added.

Baldus has received some money/rental fees for Freedom Fest, but it often just covers a portion of his costs, which includes winter storage.

Jeff’s wife, Kris, said her husband isn’t “one to toot his own horn,” but added he does it because he enjoys giving back the community.

“He likes to do it for the kids,” she said. “He likes to see the smile on their faces.”

Kris didn’t envision Jeff’s involvement in Freedom Fest lasting this long, but she noted it’s hard for Jeff to give up a project once he takes it one.

“He always goes full bore,” she said.

Now when he asks her opinion about a new piece, Kris says she shakes her head and says, “Do what you think the kids will enjoy.”

Jeanine Nelson, who took over Baldus’ former job coordinating member relations/major events for the commerce, described Jeff as a enthusiastic and as a great festival director.

“Jeff brings a lot,” she said. “He brings a lot of energy for one thing.”

‘It’s worth it’

But the work isn’t always easy. It can be time-consuming over the Fourth — especially when set up, teardown and cleanup comes into play — and it keeps Jeff and Kris away from their summer RV at Hidden Meadows RV Park & Campground in Pine Island.

For Jeff, one of his favorite parts of the festival each year is to be able to sit back at the end of the day with a cold beverage to enjoy the fireworks. Hearing the crowd’s reaction to the fireworks brings a smile to his face.

“I just think we put on a phenomenal fireworks display,” Jeff said.

After the festival is done, Baldus and his crew are still busy cleaning and packing things up from the festival.

“After all of it’s done and you get a chance to catch up on your sleep, then it’s like, ‘Alright, let’s just get ready and do it again next year,’” Baldus said.

“You know what, it is worth it,” he added.