Boom Special Effects Uses Antari for Annual McAllen Holiday ParadeThe McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by the grocery store chain H-E-B, helped kick off the festive season in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley. With the theme of Noche Magica (Magical Night), this unique 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. This year's parade drew than 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," says 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 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, minimizing any obstructions for children viewing the parade floats," Krebs explains. "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 parade. 
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