36 Meter Inflatable Serpent as a parade float at the Perth Agriculture Festival

Background

Established in 1834, the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia (RASWA) began as a cattle and agriculture trade show. Over the years, it has evolved into an eight-day festival celebrating the city’s cultural heritage and agriculture.

The RASWA entrusted the creative team at Giant Inflatables with a unique task: designing a 36-meter-long inflatable serpent for a parade float. The challenge was to create a visually striking and engaging serpent that respected cultural boundaries and authentically embodied the Rainbow Serpent’s Dreamtime origins.

The Design and Fabrication

Designing and producing a 36-meter-long inflatable serpent required a holistic and innovative approach. Consideration for the safety of the operators, volunteers, and patrons was a priority.

As the inflatable was a mobile parade float to be carried by people, technology such as power for inflation, lighting, and handling required extra engineering attention. Every aspect of the parade float had to comply with Australian Safety Standards to ensure a safe operation throughout the eight-day parade.

The successful execution of this large-scale innovative project was a testament to the seamless collaboration between our design and engineering teams and the indigenous community leaders. Together, we produced various printed designs and concept drawings, with the final pattern meeting all indigenous cultural requirements.

The Results

The addition of internal LED lighting made the serpent come to life, breathing vibrant colours as the operators paraded it during the festival.