Information meetings
Two community information meetings will be held in First National Bank's lower level Community Room. The meetings will be on:
- Tuesday, April 17 at 8 a.m.
- Thursday, April 19 at 6 p.m.
MONROE - Monroe will host two hot air balloon events over two back-to-back weekends this summer.
The U.S. Open National Championships will begin competition on Saturday, June 9 and will conclude the morning of Tuesday, June 12. The event will feature numerous national and world champions competing for the title and prize money. As a special opening to The U.S. Open National Championships, the competition pilots on the evening of Saturday, June 9 will set up and glow their balloons from various businesses around Monroe.
The 27th Annual Father's Day Weekend Monroe Balloon Rally will be Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16.
Unlike other balloon competitions, The U.S. Open National Championships has pilots travel to two different cities, with the combined scores from both events determining the champion. The second leg of The U.S. Open National Championships will continue in Peoria, Ill. July 19-21.
"If the weather allows us to fly all the flights, The U.S. Open National Championships along with its National Championship title will have more tasks than any balloon competition ever flown," said Maury Petrehn, the competition's organizer and a past National Champion.
Petrehn has devised a new scoring method that takes some traditional ballooning competition elements and combines them with new technologies. Tasks include baggie drops, GPS goals and other flying challenges.
"This combination allows for more tasks to be called on each and every flight," he said. "It also gives the pilot more chances to display their skill. Plus, these extra tasks are performed in the air as well as on the ground, giving the spectators around town more opportunities to view the pilots in action."
The Monroe Balloon Rally continues the following weekend. Skies will be filled with the Monroe Balloon Rally pilots who will begin their flights on Friday night, June 15 at the Green County Fairgrounds. The weekend will include 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. flights, weather permitting; balloon glows both Friday and Saturday nights; live music; a beer tent; concessions; a crafts and exhibitor fair; children's amusements; and a car show.
The rally, sponsored by Glanbia Nutritionals and The Swiss Colony, will include several specially-shaped balloons, including the 140-foot tall "American Bald Eagle Balloon" and the 110-foot tall teddy bear balloon "Mr. Biddle."
For the first time in Monroe, the public can book a hot air balloon flight. Also new this year, tethered balloon rides will be offered during the festival weekend. Fly-away balloon flights bookings will be offered from Thursday, June 7 through Sunday, June 17. Tethered balloon rides will be available at the fairgrounds on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16. For more information regarding the schedule or to register for a hot air balloon flight, go to www.Open-Championships.com or call (913) 744-7170.
For more information, visit www.monroeballoonrally.com or www.Open-Championships.com. Direct questions to monroeballoonrally@gmail.com or Maury@BeyondBallooning.com.
The U.S. Open National Championships will begin competition on Saturday, June 9 and will conclude the morning of Tuesday, June 12. The event will feature numerous national and world champions competing for the title and prize money. As a special opening to The U.S. Open National Championships, the competition pilots on the evening of Saturday, June 9 will set up and glow their balloons from various businesses around Monroe.
The 27th Annual Father's Day Weekend Monroe Balloon Rally will be Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16.
Unlike other balloon competitions, The U.S. Open National Championships has pilots travel to two different cities, with the combined scores from both events determining the champion. The second leg of The U.S. Open National Championships will continue in Peoria, Ill. July 19-21.
"If the weather allows us to fly all the flights, The U.S. Open National Championships along with its National Championship title will have more tasks than any balloon competition ever flown," said Maury Petrehn, the competition's organizer and a past National Champion.
Petrehn has devised a new scoring method that takes some traditional ballooning competition elements and combines them with new technologies. Tasks include baggie drops, GPS goals and other flying challenges.
"This combination allows for more tasks to be called on each and every flight," he said. "It also gives the pilot more chances to display their skill. Plus, these extra tasks are performed in the air as well as on the ground, giving the spectators around town more opportunities to view the pilots in action."
The Monroe Balloon Rally continues the following weekend. Skies will be filled with the Monroe Balloon Rally pilots who will begin their flights on Friday night, June 15 at the Green County Fairgrounds. The weekend will include 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. flights, weather permitting; balloon glows both Friday and Saturday nights; live music; a beer tent; concessions; a crafts and exhibitor fair; children's amusements; and a car show.
The rally, sponsored by Glanbia Nutritionals and The Swiss Colony, will include several specially-shaped balloons, including the 140-foot tall "American Bald Eagle Balloon" and the 110-foot tall teddy bear balloon "Mr. Biddle."
For the first time in Monroe, the public can book a hot air balloon flight. Also new this year, tethered balloon rides will be offered during the festival weekend. Fly-away balloon flights bookings will be offered from Thursday, June 7 through Sunday, June 17. Tethered balloon rides will be available at the fairgrounds on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16. For more information regarding the schedule or to register for a hot air balloon flight, go to www.Open-Championships.com or call (913) 744-7170.
For more information, visit www.monroeballoonrally.com or www.Open-Championships.com. Direct questions to monroeballoonrally@gmail.com or Maury@BeyondBallooning.com.