Hot air balloons to soar at VW County Fair

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Although the Hot Air Festival is a thing of the past, hot air balloons will still be seen in Van Wert County come this fall.

Jerry Mazur, organizer of the Hot Air Fest, a successor to the former Hot Air Affair created by the Van Wert Area Jaycees several decades ago, noted that, while financial constraints made having a third edition of the festival a non-starter, he helped negotiate an agreement between balloonists who participated in the Hot Air Fest to provide balloon rides during the 2014 Van Wert County Fair.

Mazur said he first approached the Fair Board about providing hot air balloon rides at this year’s county fair, and board members were enthusiastic about doing so.

The agreement between the Fair Board and balloon owners would provide for four days of hot air balloon rides. The schedule for the rides is as follows:

• Friday afternoon, August 29 – two balloons, 16 passengers.
• Saturday morning, August 30 – two balloons, 16 passengers
• Saturday afternoon, August 30 – three balloons, 18 passengers (tether)
• Sunday morning, August 31 – four balloons, 22 passengers
• Sunday afternoon, August 31 – three balloons, 18 passengers (tether)
• Monday morning, September 1 – four balloons, 22 passengers
• Monday afternoon, September 1, four balloons, 13 passengers (glow)

Mazur noted that, if balloon rides sell well, two balloons could be added Friday night and Saturday morning, accommodating an additional 12 passengers. However, if rides don’t sell as well, balloons accommodating 4-6 passengers would be used, instead of 10-passenger balloons.

Mazur said the fair-based balloon rides, while not as extensive as those provided during the final Hot Air Festival, would still allow balloon enthusiasts to purchase a ride on one of the above dates.