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Lighter than Air Balloon Fair.
The Lighter than Air Balloon Fair at Iowa Western Community College is the largest in the area. This is the annual event and the refinements are evident. For 2007, there are 35 balloons scheduled to appear. This really is a growing event. The event takes place over a three day period so this truly is no small deal. The event is free and therefore it is a great time to take the entire family out for a weekend of fun. The road to the field is now paved for your convenience.
The event kicks off on Friday starting at 5 P.M. Extra entertainment will be going on Friday and Saturday for you to enjoy, plus there are several distractions for the children. Clowns will be entertaining the entire family. Younger children will enjoy the Wizard Bounce House and the older ones will want to try out the challenging 22 foot Screamer Slide. It will make you feel like you are about to take to the air too. If that doesn't get the adrenaline flowing and you hate flying through the air without being attached to something, try the bungee Grab 'n Go. It is designed to do the trick and get you back on ground sooner or later.
On Friday and Saturday evenings you can take tether rides. The Lighter than Air Balloon Fair isn't only about hot air balloons, expect to see paragliders too. This is a great time to see how far the technology has progressed in personal aviation. You can learn about instruction, classes, and everything involved to take to the air in the most affordable fashion.
If your interest is to see the sky filled with lots of colorful balloons lifting off, plan to get up early. Balloons will lift-off starting at 7:00 A.M. on both Saturday and Sunday. Balloons work best in the early morning and evenings when the winds are down. Bring your camera, a tripod, and at least 10 rolls of film.* If you use a tripod, set up early and make sure you aren't interfering with walking traffic. The number of balloons in this event has been increasing each year; expect to see as many as 30 balloons taking off at IWCC. Ameristar is a major sponsor and to help advertise the event, on Friday evening, they will have the insides of two balloons lit up producing a magnificent glow that should be visible for quiet a distance.
If getting up early on Saturday morning puts a rush on getting your breakfast, keep in mind that there will be a "Pancake Man" breakfast available until 10:30 A.M.. On Sunday, the scheduled "awards" brunch is for pilots, crew, committee, and sponsors. If you can't roll out of bed before noon on Saturday regardless of how exciting life can be, you are still in luck. On Saturday evening at 6:30 P.M., you can see the balloons lift-off for the evening cruise.
If you are truly interested in the craft, this is an excellent time to talk to the folks in the know. A great way to learn is to get involved with a crew. Working with the chase crew will get you familiar with the sport before you spend any money. You can learn just about anything from these folks including aerodynamics, physics, chemistry, geography and terrain, rivers, streams, and lake hazards, canvas, silk, and fabric repair, general carpentry, compressed gas and plumbing repairs, weather prediction using clouds, tree top foliage movement and bird flight observations, aviation theory, Federal, State, County, and Metropolitan regulations, Federal Aviation Agency regulations, National Security regulations, Restricted Air Space and military borders, unmapped country road navigation, two-way radio and cellular communications, skyscrapers and communication towers, High Voltage (power Lines), barbed wire, electric fences, livestock dangers and endangerment, and of course, farmer and rancher negotiations; all contributing to the explanation that a "Lighter than Air Doctorate" at IWCC or any school would take longer than a medical degree. No wonder this great learning experience starts at a college.
A clown, food, fun, entertainment, tether rides, paragliders, bungee jumps, and of course balloon races will make for an exciting weekend. Remember, you will need to get there early to see the morning balloon lift-off.
More info.
For more information on the Iowa Western Community College website, click here.
Iowa Western Community
College
