As somebody once said, “a good year’s beginning makes the whole year good. Perhaps, these words inspired residents of California to come up with the Balloon & Wine Festival. Of course, the new year begins in January – yet summer is a season of wine and festivals.
Table of Contents
The history of the festival
The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival, also known as the Rancho California Balloon and Wine Festival, was invented in 1983 by Evelyn Harker and Walt Darren. Harker’s main tasks were mainly organizing events for the participants in the war and raising funds for those who needed financial help. Darren was a pilot for commercial flights and air balloons. Together, they have requested contributions from local sponsors and Kaiser Development Company that was focusing on land deals.
The festival has been in demand from the very beginning and is gaining momentum with every new year. Almost half of the city’s residents attended the first Balloon& Wine Festival. At the festival, they were enjoying the wine from the local wineries (there were six of them functioning at the moment) and looking at the hot air balloons launched into the sky. The festival was developed progressively: music was added and became an essential component of the event, and many more forms of entertainment were included in the program, as well as music.
For all the 39 years it has existed and until our days,the Balloon & Wine Festival remains an event of great importance to the local economy and city life. Funds raised at a festival are donated to the army and schools.
Launch of balloons
At the moment, the program of the festival for this year remains secret. Nevertheless, some events, which are traditionally held yearly, were announced.
Morning Balloon Rides
For the reason that the balloon is the central part of the festival, there are many things to do for those who come to experience the balloon flight. One of them is Morning Balloon Rides. If you go for it, be prepared to become speechless for a while: the view of Temecula Valley and Lake Skinner from above will take your breath away, as will the magic sight of other air balloons in the sky. It definitely has some vibes of Cappadocia Hot Air Ballooning, but the festival in Temecula Valley lasts only for a single weekend. You can watch the rides from the ground, or reserve your place in the air balloon – whatever suits you the most.
Balloon Glow
This is another source of inspiration for those who come to Cappadocia for the scenery — the difference is that Balloon Glow takes place at night, and everything looks different. Illuminated air balloons rise up above and float in the night sky. The lightning effects used for this show are coloring the sky, making the air balloons seem a bit like firework flares.
Other events
Of course, the cultural program is not limited by the launch of balloons. As the name of the festival says, it is also “a wine festival,” and there is much more that can be done by the guests of the get-together:
Wine and beer degustation
More than 15 wineries and almost 10 breweries will take part in the contest, where the visitors will be offered to choose the best one. Different makers from the USA will present their products—drinks for every taste will be available.
Concerts and music shows
One of the main intrigues is the musical program, which is kept secret at the moment – it will be announced closer to the festival. Back in the days, such musicians as Third Eye Blind, Gin Blossoms, and Justin Moore were performing.
Awards
The organisers of the Balloon & Wine Festival received several awards in recent years. They include:
Hermes Creative Awards (Gold)
An award for messengers of the information revolution.
MarCom Awards (Gold)
A gold award for excellence in marketing and communication.
International Festivals and Events Association (Silver)
An honor given to festival and event producers and managers.
Further details
If you decide to attend the festival, book your tickets in advance – the Balloon and Wine Festival is always in high demand. It will be held from June 3rd to June 5th this year at Lake Skinner Regional Park, California, US.
