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Midland Balloon
Festival |
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Midland County
Fairgrounds |
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Midland,
Michigan |
The RE/MAX of Midland Balloon Festival began
in 1991 as a kicks off the United Way campaign in Midland. Each
year we have a different venue of specialty balloons which
may consist of: Uncle Sam, Chesty and Matrioshka (the Russian Doll)
just to name a few. The festival gets under way on Friday,
when balloonists will launch from the Midland Mall
parking lot following the United Way kickoff breakfast. The breakfast launch is usually around the same time the
children go to school. It is a beautiful sight. Many of these
children will see the balloons again later in the morning, as
pilots visit area schools and allow students see exactly what
goes on behind the scenes of ballooning. The pilots enjoy this
as much as the students. The Saturday night show includes a
skydiving exhibition. "Afterglow" sessions (when
balloonists inflate their crafts and light the burners to create
a warm glow) will take place at the fairgrounds after the Friday
and Saturday evening launches. The public is invited to all
fairground events at no charge other than a canned food item for
the Food Pantry of Midland County. RE/MAX of Midland is probably
the only big hot-air balloon show in Michigan that does not
charge admission. Many people call and ask how to get a ride on
a balloon. There will be no rides given to the public.
The Balloon Festival is a community service. Sponsors pay for
pilot's lodging and expenses and many balloonists take time off
from work to join the event. Most of the pilots are hobbyists
and many will participate in a balloon competition to earn
points for the U.S. Nationals held annually in Middletown, Ohio.
Pilots who do well in the Midland competition, which is a
sanctioned event, can earn points toward their ranking for
national competition.
The best seat in the house to view all the balloons and to take
pictures is at the Midland County Fairgrounds. For safety
reasons, we ask that you do not try to follow the balloons by
car.
THE 2005 BALLOON FEST SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:
SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2005
Balloons will fly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning at
approximately 7:30 a.m.
Evening Flights on Friday and Saturday at approximately 6:00
p.m.
Skydivers Scheduled at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Saturday
AFTER GLOWS Scheduled for Friday and Saturday evening at
DUSK
(All Scheduled events are Weather
Permitting)
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