The 42nd annual Carolina BalloonFest takes flight October 16-18, 2015 at the Statesville Regional Airport where over 50 breath-taking hot air balloons and special shapes will launch to decorate the skies of Iredell County. The traditional Balloon Glow will light up Saturday evening to thrill hot air balloon fans.
Although hot air balloons take flight only twice daily, after dawn and near dusk when the thermal atmosphere is most stable, tethered balloon rides are scheduled to offer riders an abbreviated sensation of flight when elevated approximately 50 feet above the ground. Weather permitting, hot air balloon flights and tethered balloon rides are purchased direct with participating pilots. A Pilot Meet & Greet will take place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons; select pilots and crews will set up their gondolas for an hour on the field for guest encounters. Firefly Balloons will set up and host a Balloon Learning Center for hot air balloon enthusiasts!
Throughout the weekend of five scheduled hot air balloon flights, many pilots participate in Sanctioned Competitions. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, balloons fly over the venue and spectators can observe the pilots skillfully complete field tasks such as marker drops and a pole ring toss. Pilots at Carolina BalloonFest compete for points to enhance their standings in the national Hot Air Competition Division.
Come Early and Stay Late! In addition to the early morning fly overs and the late afternoon mass ascensions from the venue, there are various activities for the entire family to enjoy. Explore the ever-active Kids Zone with inflatables, a bungee jump, rock climb wall and magicians. Register to run with the balloons on Sunday morning in the 5K and Kids Fun Run. Enjoy entertainment on the Main Stage which opens Friday afternoon. The coffee house-style 2nd Stage offers the talent of local musicians on Saturday and Sunday. Guests can opt to experience NC Wines & Craft Beer Tasting to complement all the outdoor festivities on Saturday and Sunday.
Admission prices range from $5 to $15. Advance tickets are available to purchase via CarolionaBalloonFest.com thru October 15; limited On Site Advantage Festival Parking is reserved for Advance Daily Ticket holders while space is available. Free admission for children age 12 and younger. Guests who opt to purchase Day of Event (cash only) tickets are advised to drive directly to Park & Ride Location between 11 AM - 4 PM Saturday & Sunday. Guests without advance tickets will be redirected to Park & Ride location(s) while space is available.
Due to limited entrance points into the festival and the overwhelming popularity of Carolina BalloonFest, guests are advised to PARK by 1 PM on SATURDAY & SUNDAY and plan extra travel time accordingly to allow ample time to arrive inside festival prior to scheduled launch times. There is limited field capacity for festival guests and this event is expected to sell out. All ballooning activities including static display, tethered rides and balloon flights are weather dependent.
Festival gate times are:
Friday, October 16, 2015 3:00pm – 8:30pm
Saturday, October 17, 2015 7:00am – 8:30pm
Sunday, October 18, 2015 7:00am – 6:00pm
To learn more, visit CarolinaBalloonFest.com and join us at facebook.com/carolinaballoonfest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADS1NLaPf-k
Win one of TWO family packs of tickets to the 2015 Carolina BalloonFest! Two winning subscribers will each receive three adult tickets good for Sunday admission; children 12 and under enter free (13 and up is considered adult). Click HERE to complete the entry form today! Earn bonus entries for sharing/liking/commenting on posts about this giveaway on our Facebook page and for every new subscriber that signs up for our newsletter and mentions your name, but remember, you must complete the entry form for your bonuses to be awarded. Contest ended Sunday, October 11th at 11:59pm.
Congratulations to our winners: Tamra Campbell and Donna Bailey!
Ladies, check your emails for details on how to claim your tickets.
Contest rules: One entry per email address; email address provided must be a subscriber to our wonderful newsletter to be entered to win, otherwise it will be added. Duplicate entries via the entry form will be deleted. Bonus entries will be awarded for commenting/liking/sharing the giveaway post on Facebook and for every new subscriber you refer; sharing posts about this giveaway on Facebook will help you earn the referral bonus. Winners will be chosen randomly from all eligible entries/bonus entries by random.org on the morning of Monday, Oct 12, 2015 and will be notified by email to the address provided on the form or via phone. Winners will be announced on Facebook and/or on our website; by entering contest, entrants give permission to have their name used in such announcements. Winners will have 24hrs to claim their prize; failure to respond within the 24hr timeframe may result in another winner being chosen. Odds of winning depend on total number of entries. No purchase necessary; you must be 18 or older and a Macaroni Kid Hickory/Western Piedmont newsletter subscriber to enter.
Click HERE for complete sweepstakes rules.
