Presenting

16 October | 2022 Feature increased 250 percent over the last fi ve years, and many experts in the fi eld suggest that additional signifi cant price increases are on the horizon, due to a pending supply crunch caused by the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve ceasing to sell helium to the public in September and a recent fi re and explosion at a helium factory in Russia—and, of course, Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Helium gas is subject to shortages depending on political and economic factors throughout the world (the U.S., Qatar, Algeria and Russia are the world's top suppliers of helium gas, with the U.S. generating 40 percent of the world's helium supply). Helium also has greater uses than making balloons fl oat: Because of its cooling properties, the gas is used to cool MRI machines, NMR spectrometers, nuclear reactors and rocket fuel during lift-off . It also plays a signifi cant role in the production of fi ber optics, hard-disk drives and semiconductor chips, and it is used in arc welding, observation balloons and deep- sea diving, as well. burton + BURTON's Ballooniversity® 2022 In celebration of burton + BURTON's 40th anniversary, the company, headquartered in Bogart, Ga., once again invited customers and vendors to Ballooniversity ® , an educational and networking extravaganza held every fi ve years. The theme for Ballooniversity 2022 was "The Future Is Ours," a celebration of space and exploration. Award- winning balloon and fl oral designers from 35 states and 15 countries, including the Netherlands, South Korea and Brazil, gathered to create out-of-this-world balloon and fl oral art. Attendees enjoyed four days of hands-on workshops, seminars and classroom sessions, to expand their professional knowledge and abilities. The balloon décor created during these sessions, including planets, rocket ships and everyday décor, was displayed at the Saturday Night Gala, which is the highlight of every Ballooniversity. For the fi rst time ever, the breathtaking balloon designs created at Ballooniversity were put on display for the public to enjoy. On the Sunday following the gala, burton + BURTON welcomed more than 4,000 people from the Athens, Ga., community to view more than 400,000 balloons throughout The Classic Center, where Ballooniversity was held. Jessica Crawley / Bespoke Events and Décor Boutique

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