MONROE - Hot air ballooning is a notoriously weather-fussy sport - even moderate wind can cancel a flight - but this weekend's Monroe Balloon Rally is designed to weather-proof the event as much as possible.
The free event runs Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 at the Green County Fairgrounds, 2600 10th St., and features lives music, balloon "glows," a pancake breakfast, a classic car show, tethered balloon rides and other activities.
"There are so many things we've added to weather-proof the event," said organizer Matt Urban.
The festival follows on the heels of the first leg of the U.S. Open National Championships in Monroe. The two-part hot air ballooning competition continues in July in Peoria, Ill.
Twenty-two pilots from across the country competed in the championships Saturday, June 9 through Tuesday, June 12. Top winners were Nick Donner of Kentucky, Scott Armstrong of Iowa, Rhett Heartsill and Kinnie Gibson of Texas and, tied in fifth place, Gary Heavin of Texas and Johnny Petrehn of Kansas.
For the most part, the weather cooperated.
"We've actually had balloons in the air seven out of eight days," said organizer Maury Petrehn, who traveled from Kansas to run the event and is sticking around this weekend to help with the Monroe Balloon Rally. He'll be tethering and inflating a 150-foot, 700-pound bald eagle balloon at the rally.
Monroe was a logical choice when Petrehn was planning the championship with local help from Urban.
"I've flown here before, and that was part of the reason we chose Monroe. Everybody loves coming to Monroe," Petrehn said. "It's the perfect size for a balloon event. Everything's so green and pretty."
And even when it was too windy to fly balloons, trucks with balloon baskets in the trunk were parked around town - usually around happy hour.
"I guarantee when it was windy, we were supporting the local economy," Petrehn said.
Petrehn spent about $20,000 of his own money on the championships so far, some of which will be recouped from the sales of balloon rides. If he can secure a national sponsor for next year, he said the championships will become an annual event for sure.
"We hope to come back next year. We need the support of the community to fly balloons in Monroe," he said. Some businesses in Monroe donated to this year's competition.
But where the spotlight last weekend was on competition, this weekend's focus is solely on having fun and learning about hot air balloons.
"There's a big difference between the competition weekend and the balloon festival. It's much more interactive," Urban said of the Monroe Balloon Rally.
Eighteen pilots will be out "glowing" their balloons and available to talk about their sport at the rally.
Two of these pilots are first-timers and are still in need of a volunteer crew to help them set up their balloons. Anyone itching to get some hands-on experience with balloon set-up can call Urban at (608) 313-4869 to sign up. Petrehn will also need volunteer assistance to unpack and inflate his giant eagle balloon.
Even with all the activities on the ground, keep eyes to the sky. If the winds are just right, pilots will be flying in the early mornings and early evenings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The free event runs Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 at the Green County Fairgrounds, 2600 10th St., and features lives music, balloon "glows," a pancake breakfast, a classic car show, tethered balloon rides and other activities.
"There are so many things we've added to weather-proof the event," said organizer Matt Urban.
The festival follows on the heels of the first leg of the U.S. Open National Championships in Monroe. The two-part hot air ballooning competition continues in July in Peoria, Ill.
Twenty-two pilots from across the country competed in the championships Saturday, June 9 through Tuesday, June 12. Top winners were Nick Donner of Kentucky, Scott Armstrong of Iowa, Rhett Heartsill and Kinnie Gibson of Texas and, tied in fifth place, Gary Heavin of Texas and Johnny Petrehn of Kansas.
For the most part, the weather cooperated.
"We've actually had balloons in the air seven out of eight days," said organizer Maury Petrehn, who traveled from Kansas to run the event and is sticking around this weekend to help with the Monroe Balloon Rally. He'll be tethering and inflating a 150-foot, 700-pound bald eagle balloon at the rally.
Monroe was a logical choice when Petrehn was planning the championship with local help from Urban.
"I've flown here before, and that was part of the reason we chose Monroe. Everybody loves coming to Monroe," Petrehn said. "It's the perfect size for a balloon event. Everything's so green and pretty."
And even when it was too windy to fly balloons, trucks with balloon baskets in the trunk were parked around town - usually around happy hour.
"I guarantee when it was windy, we were supporting the local economy," Petrehn said.
Petrehn spent about $20,000 of his own money on the championships so far, some of which will be recouped from the sales of balloon rides. If he can secure a national sponsor for next year, he said the championships will become an annual event for sure.
"We hope to come back next year. We need the support of the community to fly balloons in Monroe," he said. Some businesses in Monroe donated to this year's competition.
But where the spotlight last weekend was on competition, this weekend's focus is solely on having fun and learning about hot air balloons.
"There's a big difference between the competition weekend and the balloon festival. It's much more interactive," Urban said of the Monroe Balloon Rally.
Eighteen pilots will be out "glowing" their balloons and available to talk about their sport at the rally.
Two of these pilots are first-timers and are still in need of a volunteer crew to help them set up their balloons. Anyone itching to get some hands-on experience with balloon set-up can call Urban at (608) 313-4869 to sign up. Petrehn will also need volunteer assistance to unpack and inflate his giant eagle balloon.
Even with all the activities on the ground, keep eyes to the sky. If the winds are just right, pilots will be flying in the early mornings and early evenings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.