‘Dawn Patrol’ new VW Hot Air Fest event

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Dawn Patrol. The name evokes thoughts of military pilots taking off at first light to engage the enemy on some distant battlefield.

This year, the term gets a new meaning as the 2013 edition of the Van Wert Hot Air Festival has its own interpretation of Dawn Patrol via early-morning hot air balloon launches during the second edition of the festival, to be held September 6-8 at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds.

The spectacular new feature will include six balloons first performing a “glow” about an hour prior to daylight and then taking off from the fairgrounds before the sun comes up. By the time the balloons are ready to land, it will be light enough for them to do so.

“We’re excited about this,” said Jerry Mazur, organizer of the hot air balloon festival. “The Dawn Patrol will be an amazing sight you don’t want to miss!”

Mazur noted that, normally, hot air balloons can’t fly when it’s dark, but can only do “glows” on the ground. However, special lighting systems, custom-built by members of the Dawn Patrol at their own expense, are FAA-approved for conducting pre-sunrise flights, while balloonists also have radios to communicate while in the air (check out a YouTube video on a Dawn Patrol by accessing the festival’s website at http://vanwerthotairfestival.com).

Although Dawn Patrol events are common in cities like Albuquerque, N.M., and Reno, Nev., Mazur said it’s something new for Van Wert – and even Ohio.

“I don’t think it’s ever been done in Ohio, to my knowledge,” he added, noting that rides will also be offered on at least one of the Dawn Patrol balloons during the festival.

The Dawn Patrol launches will be held Saturday and Sunday mornings, while there will also be balloon launches Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening and “glows” on Friday and Saturday night.

Two commercial balloons will also be at this year’s festival, Mazur said. The Touch Tone-Midwest balloon and a POW/MIA Freedom Flight Five balloon will be featured during the festival.

Mazur also talked about some of the other features of this year’s Van Wert Hot Air Festival during an interview held earlier this week.

This year’s festival will include new amusement rides, as well as two trains that will take kids of all ages around the festival area at the fairgrounds.

Veteran entertainer Todd Allen Herendeen will perform in front of the grandstand on Saturday, right after that evening’s balloon glow, while other activities planned this year include a beer tent, a basketball clinic, a polka band, church services on Sunday and a motorcycle light parade and fireworks on Saturday night.

The success of last year’s festival has also brought more food and drink vendors to this year’s festival, Mazur said.

Another new event for this year will be bed races, which will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday during the festival.

Mazur said this year’s festival will have a much simplified admission system, with tickets for adults $10 per day, but that price is all-inclusive and allows people access to the Herendeen concert and the various balloon events during each day of the festival. Parking will also be free this year, Mazur noted.

For more information on this year’s Van Wert Hot Air Festival, access the event’s website listed above.