Spirit of Springfield announces postponement of Parade of Big Balloons
There will be no Parade of Big Balloons again this year in Springfield. The Spirit of Springfield announced that the holiday event
By Ryan Trowbridge
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SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts (WGGB, WSHM-LD) — There will be no Parade of Big Balloons again this year in Springfield.
The Spirit of Springfield announced Wednesday that the holiday event, which made its way down Springfield’s Main Street for decades, was being postponed due to what they said was a worldwide helium shortage.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said in a statement, in part:
“Unfortunately, the Spirit of Springfield must postpone the Parade of the Big Balloons for a third year due to the supply chain challenges that the region, the nation, and the world is experiencing. With everything going on across the globe, it has become a challenge for the Spirit of Springfield to secure and afford the cost of the helium needed to put on this event with the same level of excellence as their other noteworthy and beloved events such as our Bright Nights at Forest Park, the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast and our Star Spangled Springfield.”
The organization noted that the gas is used across several different industries and some of the largest producers have been closed, including a Texas plant that is closed due to a possible leak and a facility in Russia that was closed because of a fire.
Spirit of Springfield President Judy Matt added that the organization is working to find “new and affordable opportunities” to bring the community together, including last weekend’s concert by The President’s Own U.S. Marine Band, a holiday concert by the 215th Army Band of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, and a performance by the U.S. Air Force Concert Band set for March 2023.
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