The Triple Crown events’ most prestigious competition, the Kentucky Derby, is all set for its 149th run. Just a week shy of its commencement, the annual event has already taken the international spotlight since the extravagance of the Kentucky Derby festivities has already begun. With the Pegasus parade all set to mark the opening credits for the Derby on 30th April, fans and spectators are waiting to witness the nation’s finest marching bands and equestrian units. Nonetheless, this year, the sporting community will witness a new addition to the Broadway parade.

As horns hoot every year before the parade marches west to Broadway, the giant Pegasus inflatable balloon grabs everyone’s attention. However, this year, the festival retired the old mascot balloon and replaced it with a brand new version. So, what’s the difference between the old and the latest version of the Pegasus balloon?

Kentucky Derby Festival welcomes a new addition to its annual parade

Each year, a chorus of whistles and cheers erupt as the enormous inflatable white-winged horse named ‘Peggy’ approaches bystanders along the annual parade route in downtown Louisville. In the two-hour-long parade, the 35-foot tall, 30-foot wide balloon filled with 6,500 cubic feet of helium asserts that the Kentucky Derby events are underway. 

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However, as per the report by Wave, the new Pegasus balloon will use cold air instead of helium. The transition from helium to cold air will make the balloon more cost-effective and easier to maneuver around Broadway. Zoeller Pump Company, this year’s parade sponsor, stated that the new balloon hasn’t got a moniker yet. 

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One of the representatives conceded,  “We’ll have guide ropes as opposed to holding ropes, because before, the helium, you were kind of holding it down”. He further added, “Now we’re gonna have guide ropes to keep it from flopping around and things because it’s more like one of those blow-ups as opposed to the helium-filled”. Now, with everything in check, a team of 40 volunteers from the Zoeller Pump Company will guide the new Pegasus to Broadway at 3:00 PM on Sunday 30th April. 

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