USA - The McAllen Holiday Parade presented by H-E-B helped kick off the festive season in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. This nighttime holiday parade featured over 60 illuminated floats, 38 larger-than-life character helium balloons, 16 school bands and dance teams, and appearances by international and local celebrities.
The 2024 theme, Noche Mágica (Magical Night), was hosted by TV personalities Mario Lopez and Julian Gil, with special guest appearances by players from the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.
This year’s parade drew over 265,000 attendees along the 1.5-mile route, with over a million more television viewers. It began at the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, where spectators of all ages filled the stands for an evening of entertainment.
When approached for the project, Jeff Krebs, president of Boom Special Effects in Arlington, TX, knew exactly how to create a ‘wow’ factor – snow, a rare sight for many in the ‘South Pole’ of Texas.
Boom SFX used eight Antari S-500s and two Antari S-600s to produce the snow effect, adding a magical winter touch for parade-goers. “The Antari snow machines worked perfectly,” said Krebs. “We wanted the snow to be floating into the stands for the kids to enjoy and the light breeze that evening gave us exactly what we wanted.”
The snow effect was part of the ‘magic’ for the spectators, kids and adults alike. The Antari snow machines were strategically placed out of sight, along both sides of the stadium between the track and the grandstands.
“The S-500 gives us the option to keep the machine and large fluid tank on the ground, while only mounting the smaller unobtrusive nozzle on the railing – minimising any obstructions for children viewing the parade floats,” Krebs explained. “The S-600 gave us the higher volume and mix desired to make the broadcast TV shots appear as if it were really snowing in McAllen.”
In addition to the snow, Boom Special Effects also provided CO2, Laser, Cold Spark, and Flame Effects to the McAllen Holiday Parade.
