Havasu Balloon Festival raises $105K for local community

Community nonprofits, schools and other youth and senior programs can collectively expect to see six figures in donations as Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair organizers announced attendance and revenue statistics Thursday.

This year, $105,000 will be doled out during a gathering set for April 10t. The donation figure is $15,000 higher than last year’s $90,000 that benefitted at least two dozen separate entities in Havasu.

There are five host clubs including 230 people responsible for Balloon Fest, including the London Bridge Lions Club, London Bridge Rotary Club, Lake Havasu Rotary Club, Lake Havasu Sunrise Rotary Club, and the Daybreakers Lion Club.

Marquita McKnight, of London Bridge Lions Club, has been involved with organizing the Havasu Balloon Fest since day one. McKnight said she first learned of the idea of a hot air balloon festival in Havasu while at Winterfest in 2010. She went straight home and reached out to organizers via email.

“I liked that it wasn’t revolving around the Channel, boats and beer. It was new and really family-oriented, and it’s so beautiful.”

John Parrott, of London Bridge Rotary Club, said he also likes that it offers something different.

“We’re not negative about boats, we just like having something different to promote our city.”

The world’s hot air balloon pilots are a tight-knit group often seeing each other at different venues around the globe.

This year was the first that Havasu Balloon Fest was invitation-only for hot air balloon pilots. The spots are coveted among pilots.

“Rarely do they fly off an island,” Parrott said. “We could’ve had 150 pilots this year, but we had just 70,” he said.

McKnight said the event’s debut year in 2009 hosted at least 35 hot air balloons. The festival’s pilot roster caps at 70, with the pilots alternating so 40 balloons lift off during morning ascensions. Night glows are designed in much the same way.

The Money
The five clubs will share benefactor lists as their separate decisions are made as to which community groups will receive how much and for what programs. The practice is to spread the money as far into the community as is possible.

The master list generates invitations to the April gathering. Representatives will receive their checks that day.

via – Havasu News: News.