Local balloon artist joins production team for New York’s NYE celebration
Published:Saturday | January 8, 2022 | 12:08 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Writer
Some traditions are just timeless. And one ranking high on that list is the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Ceremony in Times Square, New York. Local balloon designer Jacqueline Jackson said she was honoured to be part of the prestigious countdown celebration.
“The live scene was phenomenal. The lights, music, the confetti and people waving their balloons with the metallic streamers were just simply spectacular. The Waterford Crystal Ball is the cake, but the confetti and balloons are the icing, as Technical Director Treb Heining would say,” Jackson told The Gleaner.
She said she was heartened to see the celebrations, especially as the world continues to grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Just seeing the people waving their balloons and being happy even in these challenging times that we all are experiencing was enough for me. Being in the most famous place in the world on New Year and knowing I was a part of spreading joy and happiness all while ringing in a new year, with new dreams and hope, was fulfilling,” the balloon artist and creative director at Balloon by Jaki Jade said.
Jackson said that it was through watching the ball drop a few years ago that she noticed the incorporation of balloons. Fascinated by the production, which paid close attention to every detail in a precise and timely manner, the creative wanted to learn more. So she took a screenshot of a branded balloon and reached out to the sponsor.
When that route didn’t produce the desired results, Jackson extended her research to previously published newspaper articles and past television coverage. Coming up short in her findings, she called the company again, and they revealed that it was someone working in upstate New York.
Finding that piece of the puzzle meant that she was one step closer to solving the ball-dropping mystery. “I got a hold of a listing of all the balloon artists in the area, and that’s how I found the person. We spoke for hours about the event and what it takes to pull off an event of that magnitude. I told him that I am very open to being a part of the team. I invited him to Jamaica to participate in an event I was planning, but then the global pandemic hit, and we had to postpone,” she explained.
Disappointed, Jackson was further impacted by the passing of her mother. “I felt like a complete failure,” she admitted. But all hope was not lost. A visit to her family in the United States would give her the space she needed to breathe and help her to reconnect with loved ones. It would also give her the chance to finally meet the man behind the balloons at the official ball drop ceremony, Danny Magowan. Magowan has been doing the Times Square balloon segment for 28 years.
She contacted him upon her arrival to say that she was in the United States and asked if his offer to be part of the amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was still on the table. Suffice it to say, Jackson, along with her sister and niece, drove 22 hours to reach New York on time for her first official crew call on December 29.
“My adrenaline was so high, as you can imagine. I jumped in with an open heart and mind. All the moving parts and the timing had to be executed with precision. I was part of the balloon crew and confetti dispersal engineer [team] for the event. The team was responsible for preparing 25,000 biodegradable coloured balloons with metallic gold streamers for the revellers, all of which were branded Planet Fitness, a sponsor for many years,” she revealed. She added: “The inflated balloons were placed in reserved pods that were strategically placed on nearby streets to the main stages. At a certain time, the balloons were distributed by our street team to the audience in attendance. This created a flurry of excitement. It was an amazing sight to behold.”
Jackson shared that the team had just one window of opportunity – 10 minutes – to launch the confetti. “It’s not a gimmick. We had to make it spectacular. In the art of doing this, one has to have some amount of knowledge. Understanding the wind pattern, praying that there’s no rain, and hoping for it to be cold enough (not too cold) to create a lasting spectacular lingering effect for the confetti was crucial.”
Among the two newbies on the balloon and confetti team, Jackson said she was extremely grateful to be under Magowan’s tutelage. Detailed in his approach, she said he communicated every step of the way, imparting his knowledge and wisdom as he went along. Following the success of the event, she hopes to work with his team in the years to come and explore other new and exciting opportunities.
“I feel so blessed. I’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. I know I was completely guided by spirit and my mom to do this. Danny and the team were warm, welcoming and amazing. I got to work with world-class confetti technical directors Treb Heining and Bill Schaffell. Everything was perfectly aligned. I am now on a new journey because I answered the call to my new assignment. I hope I have made Jamaica proud,” she added.