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New City of Edmonton Balloon to Soar in Capital Ex Parade

July 18, 2012

The City of Edmonton has officially unveiled its colourful new balloon for entry in the Capital Ex parade.

The balloon, simply titled “Us,” was designed by local company Artsmith Communications and manufactured by Fabulous Inflatables based in Windsor, Ontario. When inflated it’s more than 33 feet long, 14 feet high, 22 feet wide and weighs 120 pounds. The balloon can be inflated with both helium and cold air.

“This beautiful piece of public art captures the spirit and energy of our city,” said Councillor Kim Krushell. “It celebrates much of what makes Edmonton a great place to live.”

The design, which profiles Edmonton’s River Valley, City Hall and our Northern Lights, was chosen through a jury selection process in consultation with the Edmonton Arts Council. Criteria for the design included that it highlight the city’s cultural diversity, recognize the contribution of Edmonton’s original residents, make an artistic statement and be representative of the city.

“To see our design come to life like this in such a dramatic format is amazing,” said John Smith of Artsmith. “We’re thrilled this will be a part of Edmonton’s history.”

Once the design was chosen, a small-scale maquette was built and sent to Fabulous Inflatables to use as a model in manufacturing the balloon. The manufacturing process took more than 3 months.

“The City of Edmonton’s balloon is one of the most unique and innovative projects we have ever worked on,” said Steve Thompson, President of Fabulous Inflatables. “Having the opportunity to build a balloon with such a vibrant artistic design was very exciting for us.”

A balloon format was chosen over developing a traditional float because of lower costs, easy storage and the opportunity for multiple uses. The cost of the balloon is approximately $80,000, roughly half that of a float, which includes the manufacturing and design, helium, promotional items, entry fees and uniforms for parade participants.

The City plans to have the balloon in additional parades and on display at a variety of festivals and events throughout the year.

The Capital EX Parade takes place on July 19, 2012 beginning at 11am.

For more information:

Melissa Lovatt