MONROE - The weather cleared up and the sun was shining on the Pork Producer's BBQ dinner Friday night. But variable winds proved a challenge for balloonists.
Almost 150 volunteers helped serve and set up for the annual event at the Green County Fairgrounds.
Larry Eakins, president of the Pork Producers, said the organization was expecting to feed between 3,000 and 3,500 people. Workers cooked 4,000 chops and served diners beans and applesauce to go with their chops or pulled pork sandwiches.
The Pork Producers have been serving up their fare for about 30 years.
Meanwhile, the 23rd Monroe Balloon Festival was gearing up for the evening launch.
Event and Operations Director Matt Urban briefed pilots for 10 balloons, before they expected to launch at their own discretion for the evening.
Afterwards some pilots met spectators near their baskets, while others were testing the winds.
Pilot Harold Graves from Emery, S. D., sent up a helium-filled black Piball, or Pilot Indicator Balloon, shortly after 6 p.m. The ascending balloon gives pilots visual clues regarding the direction and speed of their flight. The Piball whirled around the midway before drifting up and off to the east.
Pilots will be accumulating competition points for the weekend. Points are given for how close a balloon team can get their 100-gram weighted ribbon to giant targets on the ground. Friday evening the targets were located in fields along Wisconsin 11/81.
Graves said he has dropped his ribbon from as high as 5,000 feet and as close as 6 inches, depending on the winds.
An additional 100 points were gained by those firing up for the Balloon Glow at 8:30 p.m. Inflated at or after sunset, the earth-bound balloons glow in the evening sky.
For a few extra points balloonists will be present on the Square during the Taste of Monroe Saturday.
Points will be totaled up at a pancake breakfast for the pilots from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
Almost 150 volunteers helped serve and set up for the annual event at the Green County Fairgrounds.
Larry Eakins, president of the Pork Producers, said the organization was expecting to feed between 3,000 and 3,500 people. Workers cooked 4,000 chops and served diners beans and applesauce to go with their chops or pulled pork sandwiches.
The Pork Producers have been serving up their fare for about 30 years.
Meanwhile, the 23rd Monroe Balloon Festival was gearing up for the evening launch.
Event and Operations Director Matt Urban briefed pilots for 10 balloons, before they expected to launch at their own discretion for the evening.
Afterwards some pilots met spectators near their baskets, while others were testing the winds.
Pilot Harold Graves from Emery, S. D., sent up a helium-filled black Piball, or Pilot Indicator Balloon, shortly after 6 p.m. The ascending balloon gives pilots visual clues regarding the direction and speed of their flight. The Piball whirled around the midway before drifting up and off to the east.
Pilots will be accumulating competition points for the weekend. Points are given for how close a balloon team can get their 100-gram weighted ribbon to giant targets on the ground. Friday evening the targets were located in fields along Wisconsin 11/81.
Graves said he has dropped his ribbon from as high as 5,000 feet and as close as 6 inches, depending on the winds.
An additional 100 points were gained by those firing up for the Balloon Glow at 8:30 p.m. Inflated at or after sunset, the earth-bound balloons glow in the evening sky.
For a few extra points balloonists will be present on the Square during the Taste of Monroe Saturday.
Points will be totaled up at a pancake breakfast for the pilots from 6:30 to 11 a.m. Sunday.