Parade Balloons

While perusing the social media I was reminded that it had been two years since I made balloons for a family float down in Arlington, IA. The pictures got me reminiscing and I want to share with you some of my all time favorite Parade Balloons! 

Arlington Days Parade 2018. Our Float was a Drive-In Movie Theater.

My first parade with balloons was for the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, MN for the Christmas City of the North Parade. I had just moved to Duluth that spring and had started working at the Zoo that summer. I was building up my balloon business but really wanted a chance to make something BIG and BOLD out of balloons. When I heard the parade was coming up I asked if I could make a balloon costume for it. I had never made anything quite that large out of balloons before. I pitched it as a ‘hey if I make this and it turns out can I wear it in the parade?’ 

I purchased a Bear costume tutorial from ChiTwist and was going to use that as the base of my design. But I wanted to make an animal that was currently at the zoo. I decided on a ring tail lemur! So by changing the colors, adding a tail, and adjusting the details on the face I had a design I was happy with. I added some balloon Christmas Lights (it was the Christmas parade!) and put little blinky lights so it would light up. One of the challenges of this parade is that it is at night! 

My first balloon costume. November 2017 for the Christmas City of the North Parade.

It took me a full day to make the costume. I had watched the tutorial once through before taking notes as I went and watched it as I built the costume as well. The next challenge was getting it to the parade. I have a very small car and so does my husband. Someday I will have my own van but for large jobs I usually rent a van from Uhaul. But wanting to save time and money we decided to try to get it there ourselves. Knowing that it would not all fit in one vehicle I built the head so it could be easily detached from the body. The head went in Tony’s car and the body (with the flashing Christmas lights!) was wedged into mine. 

We made it to the parade, got it all attached, and we found our group. Once inside the balloon costume I didn’t have a huge range of sight so we made sure that the other walkers in my group ‘flanked’ me so I made sure I was fairly centered in the road. A tip for anyone doing balloon costumes in parades, conventions, or other events is to have a friend be a handler to help you navigate things!  The group in front of us was a high school band- which was perfect! Once we got going I could bounce and dance along to the music and make the lemur come alive. 

Lemur balloon costume before the parade. Complete with light up balloon Christmas lights.

What a rush! We had an AMAZING response! People loved the lemur and it was so much fun to see people’s reaction as we were coming down the street. A few people were not sure what it was but almost every kid that I heard knew right away! I was hooked. Parade balloons were my new favorite. 

Since that first parade I have had the opportunity to be a part of several more parades representing the Lake Superior Zoo. The last two years I also made balloons for the skaters of the Harbor City Roller Derby for the Duluth/Superior Pride Parade and I also helped with a family parade float down in Iowa. 

Christmas City of the North Parade 2018. Falalala Llamas for the Lake Superior Zoo!

Harbor City Roller Derby for the Duluth/Superior Pride Parade 2019.

Parades are one of my favorite ways to share the joy of balloons! Balloons delight ages young and old and parade balloons can often be used after the event for photo ops and decor! 

Memorial Day Parade for the Lake Superior Zoo in 2019.

I am missing parades this year but look forward to when they return. I already have an epic idea for Halloween (maybe next year for the Superior Spooktacular?) and my dream would be to do balloons as part of a larger group someday!

Unicorns and Rainbows for the 2018 Duluth/Superior Pride Parade with the Harbor City Roller Derby Team

My biggest inspiration when it comes to parade balloons are Balloons By Tommy. If you have never heard of them please check them out to see their AMAZING Pride Parade balloons in Chicago. 

Until next time! Spread joy, not germs,

Laural