The Wandering Beer Burros
How do I book Beer Burros for my event?
- To book our beer burros go to our "Contact" page and send us an email.
-Browse through our "Services" page on our website so you can select which theme package you would like and see our prices. We have our "Fiesta" or "Wedding" looks to choose from, each donkey will be dressed to impress in the look you have chosen for your event.
- Let us know the date of your event and we can check our availability. We only schedule one event per day so our full attention can be on your party/event.
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- We will then email you a questionnaire so we can know more about your event such as location, time, beverages you would like served (provided by you or the venue), and which theme package you are interested in. Once we receive your questionnaire, we will send you an invoice and a link to pay the deposit to hold your date.
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- To reserve your date we require a 50% deposit due upon reservation. This deposit holds your date, if you wait the date can be given to someone else as we only schedule one event a day. Full payment is due 7 days prior to the event and is non-refundable. Refunds of the deposit are only available 30 days prior to the event or if The Wandering Beer Burros have to cancel due to weather, road conditions, or donkey illness.
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- Please make sure you check with your event venue, prior to booking us, if beer burros are permitted at the venue!
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- We will travel up to 3 hours from our home base in Cape Charles, Virginia.
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What to expect?
- On the day of your event/party we will arrive 90 minutes prior to the time you would like us to start serving drinks. This is so we can tack up, make the donkeys comfortable, and we are ready to step in and serve some cuteness and cold drinks when your contracted time starts. Each beer burro will have a handler. You, or the event coordinator, will need to let us know where to pick up the drinks upon our arrival, so we can have the panniers ready to serve the drinks to your guests once your contracted time starts. Drinks go quickly so a restocking station will need to be nearby.
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- Each of our beer burros will be freshley bathed (weather permitting) and outfitted with a pack saddle and panniers that hold the ice and cold drinks of your choice. We provide the ice and you provide the drinks.
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What is the difference between a burro and a donkey? What is a john ,jack, or jenny?
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- The term "burro" is derived from the Spanish word "borrico," which translates to donkey. Burros are recognized as wild donkeys that are smaller in size compared to a standard donkey and are hairier. However, their height still falls within the range of a standard donkey, which is typically between 36"-48". Miniature donkeys, on the other hand, stand less than 36" at the shoulder. The male donkey is referred to as a "Jack," while the female is called a "Jenny." Our donkeys, Winchester and Floyd, are "Johns" or casterated jacks, also known as geldings. Both of them are miniature donkeys, with Winchester measuring 36" at the withers and Floyd 34". During the summer months, their hair sheds out and they have a sleek and shiny appearance. However, during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, they are incredibly furry, which creates great texture in photographs.
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How long can I reserve the Beer Burros for?
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- Our burros are available for up to 1.5 hours. 1 hour seems to be the perfect amount of time for most events.
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What about donkey poo?
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- Both of our donkeys are outfitted with custom made "bun bags", similar to what carrige horses wear to catch the manure. We can not guarentee they won't urinate, so we prefer grass footing in event settings.
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What about donkey hair?
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- Just like petting a dog, stray donkey hairs may find their way onto you after interacting with the beer burros. Each donkey handler will have a lint/hair roller on them to help assist with any donkey stray hairs.
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Do the donkeys enjoy being beer burros?
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- Our beer burros LOVE human interaction! Winchester lives for treats, while Floyd will try and crawl into your lap if you let him and he tends to follow us humans everywhere he can at home. Both donkeys each have a favorite spot to receive scratches, see if you can find it at your next event.
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How far will you travel?
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- Our service area is within 3 hours from our home base in Cape Charles, Virginia. We charge $0.50 per mile, both ways, from our home base. A flat rate toll fee for commuting across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel is $50.
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Can you give pony rides?
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- No, our donkeys do not do pony rides, no exceptions.
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How much weight can beer burros hold?
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- Miniature donkeys should carry no more than 20% - 25% of their body weight, with most miniature donkeys weighing around 250-450 lbs. We like keep our weight limit even less than this, so our burros can comfortablaly carry 30-40 lbs. We can fit about 10-12 beers in each pannier/beer basket with ice. You can be as creative as you like, keeping the panniers with-in the weight limit. Party favors, snacks, and wine are some good options too.
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Are you insured?
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We are licensed and insured with Commercial Liability Insurance. All of our beer burro handlers are TIPS certified as well.
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Can my dog meet your beer burros?
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While we absolutley LOVE dogs, we ask that any dogs or other animals attending the event be on a leash or in an enclosure. Our beer burros are familier with our dogs and barn cats at home, but they also know our animals and our animals interact with them daily. Other pets may react to having a strange donkey creature in their yard, or our donkeys may think an un-known dog to them is a threat. So even though our donkeys have very calm demeanors, we just would rather be safe.
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If you have any other questions please feel free to e-mail us at: servingyou@thewanderingbeerburros.com or visit our "Contact" page. We look forward to bringing you the best drink service at your next event!
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