By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce’s sixth annual Balloon Fest launches at 4 p.m. on Friday, July 15, and runs until Sunday, July 17, on the Evergreen Elementary School grounds at 817 W. Main St. in Waterford.
The hours of operation for the festival are 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday, sunrise to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and sunrise to 10 a.m. on Sunday.
The nationally known festival draws balloon enthusiasts from all over the country. More than a dozen balloonists from around the nation gather for the event each year to share the love of hot air ballooning.
There is no admission fee for the family friendly festival. There is no smoking, alcohol, bikes, skateboards, or animals allowed on school/event grounds. Certified service animals are welcome.
The balloons are the stars of the show during Balloon Fest and the event features evening glows, where the tethered balloons are lit up for a spectacular show, on Friday and Saturday nights.
For some exciting fun, the balloonists at the festival will square off in flight competition Saturday morning. This event, like all the events featuring the balloons, will only be held if the weather permits.
“And all Saturday afternoon we’ll have local music artist performing from Rock Shop and then Clove will give a concert,” event co-chairperson Kathy Robers said.
New this year will be the appearance of the Kids from Wisconsin, who will perform a musical review from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday. The chamber suggests guests bring lawn chairs and/or blankets for the performance.
As in years past, the arts and crafts vendors will show their wares Friday evening and most of the day and into the evening on Saturday. Local and national businesses will also be set up to provide information about their companies in the chamber’s business vendor area on Saturday.
All items in the arts and craft area must be handmade by the vendor. No commercial products, buy-sell items, or home party products are allowed.
There will be plenty of food and drink available with local and regional food vendors selling items on the grounds throughout the festival.
A kids’ area will have games, activities, entertainment and an inflatable amusement area all three days to keep the little ones busy too.
The balloonists will offer tethered balloon rides and there will be helicopter rides during the festival when weather permits.
Ballooning is a fair weather sport. Assuming visibility is good, the key consideration is the wind speed. Generally, a launch is not feasible when the wind exceeds 8 miles per hour. The preferred flying times are just after sunrise and just before sunset, when the winds are lighter and more stable. The pilots make a determination concerning the weather.
Hot air balloon rides during the event are available for certain sponsorship levels. Others interested in balloon flights at the event will need to contact our balloonist, Ken Walter with WindDancer Balloon Promotions, [email protected] prior to the event.
Tethered balloon rides will be available at the event and tickets may be purchased at the event. Tethered rides are offered by Sky Cab Balloon Promotions. The tethered rides are sponsored by the Waterford Medical Clinic.
“We also have a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning which is a lot of fun,” Robers said.
While the festival doesn’t charge admission, there is a fee to park. The preferred event parking lots cost $10 a vehicle and the standard/handicapped/motorcycle event parking lots cost $5 a vehicle.
A portion of all parking lot fees will be given back to help the local nonprofit organizations serving as lot attendants. Street parking is available but on a limited basis around the festival grounds.
Calling amateur photographers
The chamber is sponsoring an amateur photo contest during the festival. Entry forms can be downloaded at the chamber’s website, www.waterford-wi.org.
All photos must be taken at the 2016 Waterford Balloonfest during its three-day run. There is a $3 cost for each photo entered. Anyone may enter unless they are involved in the administration of the contest.
There are two contest categories – Adult, 18 years old and older; and Youth, age 10 to 17.
Entries must be a 4×6-inch print, unmounted and unframed, and include with caption on bottom to tell the story. Description may be typed into the bottom of photo or typed on paper and taped on bottom of print. The photo may be color, sepia or black and white. Entries will be judged on the balloons, story telling, people and activities of the event.
The print can be dropped off at the Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce office, 102 E. Main St. by Aug. 1, 2016.
The winners will be announced on Aug. 24.
The first-place prize for the adult contest is a $140 family portrait gift certificate by KK Photography and a cash prize. The photo will be used for future marketing as well as posted on Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce’s website and Facebook page.
The second-place prize is cash prize and photo listed on Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce’s website.
The third-place prize is a cash prize and photo listed on chamber’s website.
New this year, the People’s Choice Award will be voted on by the public between Aug. 2 and 23, at the Waterford Public Library, 101 N. River St.
See the chamber’s website for more information.
Volunteers needed
Robers said the chamber and event committee is seeking volunteers to work at the festival.
“We need about 150 volunteers to put the festival on,” she said. “The majority of the shifts are two hours long, but the balloon crew shifts are about five hours long.”
The balloon crews guide the balloonists as they’re filling their balloons and help stabilize the balloons while it inflates. They also need volunteers for the tethered balloon ride crews. Robers said the volunteers for these positions must be at least 15 years old and in good shape.
“It’s a physical job,” she said.
There are volunteer opportunities in other areas. The festival needs help in the kids’ craft tent, chamber beverage station, chamber booth, special care transport and ticket booths.
For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, call the chamber at (262) 534-5911.
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