SURPRISING STUFF
Hot air balloons abound in the local area.
Waterford is once again hosting one of the area’s only hot air balloon festivals on Saturday, July 16th. Balloons will be launching between 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. from the fields of the Waterford Union High School. After the balloon launch, everyone can enjoy events starting at noon including kid’s activities, a craft fair, helicopter rides, drone races, a car show, live music, meet and greet with the pilots, and much more. There will also be a photo contest and all pictures submitted must be from Saturday, July 16th while at Balloonfest.
All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on July 19th to Waterford Balloonfest. Photo size should be 4” x 6” and the maximum file size is 5m per photo. Only one photo may be submitted per category for a maximum of three photos. The categories are balloons; a photo of any balloon or balloons at the festival in flight or glow, activities; anything at the festival other than balloons, and storytelling; capturing the underlying story of a situation or circumstance at the festival. This is a free event, but parking is $10, payable in cash only. If you want to have a shot at being an integrated part of balloon crewing and possibly get a free ride then show up at the field at about five a.m., or even earlier. The balloons will all be there and getting set up to fly and that takes a lot of work and workers to do that work. Then the crews need chasers to follow the balloons and then wrap them back up after they land.
You may not get picked, but as the publisher of the Geneva Shore Report is a balloon pilot and owner, this information is coming ‘straight from the horse’s mouth.’ Most times, if you do the work, you will at least get a free breakfast afterward and a chance to join in on the next outing of the ground crew. It is hard for pilots to find good dependable crew members who are willing to get up at three in the morning to be part of the continuing adventures.
Business of the Week
Pearce’s Farm Stand is now open and a favorite of locals and visitors alike. The GSR is a big fan of the market and an even bigger fan of the couple Bob & Maryann.
