Balloon launch returns to Porter County fairgrounds

Balloons will hit the skies once again as the Valparaiso Noon Kiwanis Club’s Hot Air BalloonFest soars back as part of the 2014 Porter County Fair in Indiana, USA.

The fest, which was last held in conjunction with the 2011 Popcorn Festival, launches the fair with an evening balloon flight and glow on July 17 at the Expo Center’s grandstand.

David Bagnall, grandstand entertainment and publicity team leader, said the fair staff is always looking for new and fresh ideas for the annual event.

“We are excited to be partnering with the Kiwanis club to bring the festival back,” added Mark Baird, fair board president and 10-year Kiwanis member. “It’s a fund-raiser for Kiwanis and also a great kick-off for the fair.”

The balloons will take off about 6 p.m. coinciding with the queen pageant at 7 p.m. and grandstand entertainment. The balloon glow lights up about 8 p.m. A second balloon launch will take flight about 6:30 a.m. July 18. The fair admission fee includes the BalloonFest events, which are weather permitting.

“Hot air balloons are a part of quite a few fairs, including Elkhart County and the Indiana State Fair. Not everybody in Northwest Indiana is able to get down to the state fair so it’s important to bring to folks here,” said Lonnie Steele, grandstand entertainment team member and a 37-year Kiwanis member. “The balloon launch brings lots of color and attention to the opening of the fair and the balloon glow surrounds the grandstand in color. It’s exciting and something special.”

Steele said by moving the event to summer from fall, there is hope for better weather as well as fair offerings in case the launches are not able to take off.

“The weather is tough to predict in September though it can always be as we are close to Lake Michigan,” Steele said. “If the balloons are not able to fly, the fair is going to be there and there are other things for people to do.”

The new collaboration also allows the Kiwanis Club to concentrate on raising funds through event sponsorships as the fair is helping absorb costs of the event, Steele said.

“Kiwanis ran the festival as a freestanding event and it was difficult to do because of weather considerations, etc. Now working with them, the event can continue to be a fund-raiser and give back to the community and the number of organizations the Kiwanis supports that are primarily youth-based,” Baird said.

Event sponsorships include participation in the balloon flight, banner recognition and pre-launch event tickets.

“They have the enjoyment of the balloon rides … up in the air looking at the skyline,” Steele said.

Beyond the fest, Steele looks to build on the Kiwanis and fair partnership to better serve the community.

“There is a lot of give and take here. For example, when we had the Kiwanis One Day (Kiwanis day of service) we had volunteers from the local Key Clubs, Builders Clubs and PNC – about 24 people – come out and paint and fix up entrances to the livestock barns on both ends. When they visit the fair, they can show their parents and family members here is what I did … people painting with pride,” Steele said.

“That give and take, we are trying to nurture and build. That’s our vision and our hope … reaching out to youth. We honestly feel the fair is a very positive environment for families and youth.”

“Another part of our initiative is reaching out to organizations like Kiwanis to partner with them and make them part of the fair,” Bagnall said. “The fair makes people happy and gets people together: to sit on a bench and watch people walk by, eat a corn dog, see the kids having fun. The fair is a fun time and a community time … we really have an initiative to tie all of it together.”

For more information on sponsorship opportunities or the BalloonFest, contact Steele at (219) 241-1031 or Jon Groth at (219) 531-3173.

via – Valparaiso Community News.