If you go ...
• Balloon and Blues Festival events are at the Green County Fairgrounds. Admission is free.
• See a complete listing of events online at monroeballoonrally.com
MONROE - Thousands of balloon and blues enthusiasts will converge on Monroe this weekend for the Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival.
After strong attendance at last year's festival and a nod in a National Geographic article calling the festival one of the best spring trips of 2017, event director Nick Faessler said the event is expected to attract more than 6,000 people on Friday and Saturday.
Faessler said the most popular events for families at the festival will likely be the balloon launches, where 13 hot air balloons will launch over Monroe each morning and evening, weather permitting, and the balloon glows, when all of the balloons will be inflated after dark and glow like lanterns. Balloon glows are also planned for both Friday and Saturday nights.
However, Green County Tourism director Noreen Rueckert said the live blues acts and the classic car show usually bring in blues and car fans from across the state.
"We have a terrific blues lineup this year," Rueckert said. "They're all different bands from last year's festival so there's something new for fans."
In anticipation of this year's crowds, Rueckert said the festival will have more food vendors as well as larger dining tents.
Other attractions at the festival will include a pancake breakfast Saturday morning, a bicycle race and festival games such as laser tag and carnival rides.
Rueckert said one of the themes of the event will be "Flying high over America's Dairyland," and the festival will therefore have a bigger focus on cheese.
The crown sponsor for the festival is Emmi Roth USA, which Faessler said is "really excited" to be involved in the community.
"We're just all really excited about seeing this thing go up," Faessler said. "We hope everyone has a great time."
After strong attendance at last year's festival and a nod in a National Geographic article calling the festival one of the best spring trips of 2017, event director Nick Faessler said the event is expected to attract more than 6,000 people on Friday and Saturday.
Faessler said the most popular events for families at the festival will likely be the balloon launches, where 13 hot air balloons will launch over Monroe each morning and evening, weather permitting, and the balloon glows, when all of the balloons will be inflated after dark and glow like lanterns. Balloon glows are also planned for both Friday and Saturday nights.
However, Green County Tourism director Noreen Rueckert said the live blues acts and the classic car show usually bring in blues and car fans from across the state.
"We have a terrific blues lineup this year," Rueckert said. "They're all different bands from last year's festival so there's something new for fans."
In anticipation of this year's crowds, Rueckert said the festival will have more food vendors as well as larger dining tents.
Other attractions at the festival will include a pancake breakfast Saturday morning, a bicycle race and festival games such as laser tag and carnival rides.
Rueckert said one of the themes of the event will be "Flying high over America's Dairyland," and the festival will therefore have a bigger focus on cheese.
The crown sponsor for the festival is Emmi Roth USA, which Faessler said is "really excited" to be involved in the community.
"We're just all really excited about seeing this thing go up," Faessler said. "We hope everyone has a great time."