Springfield held its annual Parade of the Big Balloons Friday morning, despite a helium shortage that threatened to derail the event.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Judy Matt went to the same vendor that's provided helium for the parade for years.
“It was triple what we paid in years before,” said Matt, president of Spirit of Springfield, which puts on the event. “We could not afford that.”
The $12,000 she had budgeted for helium would only be enough to inflate three of the eight balloons. So her vendor suggested she fill the rest with cold air.
The cold air balloons are continuously inflated with a generator so they stay upright on a pallet that's pulled by handlers.
The helium balloons are filled at the beginning of the parade route and float in the air. That was the plan, at least; The Republican reports only one balloon floated.
Springfield resident Lamont Scott has been coming to the parade with his family for about 20 years. He said he prefers the helium balloons.
“Everybody wants to look up and see them, but we’ll take what we can get today," Scott said.
This is the 29th year Spirit of Springfield has organized the parade.
