Coshocton Hot Air Balloon festival set for June 4-6By: Staff Writer

The Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival has been held for more than 40 years at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds. This year, the festival will be held June 4-6. This is a free event with lots of activities planned for the whole family.

 

The midway will open at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 4 and includes vendors, food and rides. A wristband special is available from 4-9 p.m. for $15. Tethered balloon rides will be offered from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. for $20, which will be donated to FPC Community Connections Fund. Three balloons will launch at 7 p.m.

 

On Friday, June 5, the midway will open at 1 p.m. with the festival opening ceremony at 5:45 p.m. and music by Seventy80 at 6 p.m. Balloons will launch at 6:45 p.m. and night glow will be at 9:15 p.m. Balloons will inflate in the infield of the racetrack and light up.

 

Balloons will launch at 6:30 Saturday morning. June 6. Launching spot may not be the fairgrounds. Tethered balloon rides will be offered again between 7 – 8:30 p.m. and the midway will open at 11 a.m. There will be a wristband special from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for rides. A safety and skills showcase will be held from 12-3 p.m. with sidewalk chalk activities at 3 p.m. The community can meet the pilots from 4:45-5:45 p.m. and receive free trading cards.

 

Music will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. with another balloon launch at 6:45 p.m. Fireworks will go off at 10 p.m.

 

During a tethered balloon ride, the balloon will lift 20-50’ above the ground for several minutes but does not launch. These are on a first come, first serve basis and passengers must be 42” tall. Anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a release and adults are not permitted to hold children in their arms during the rides. All passengers must be in good health and able to get in and out of the basket on their own.

 

All balloon activities are weather dependent. The community is asked to understand that a blue sky in Coshocton does not mean it is safe for the balloons to launch. Winds or weather systems nearby can cause delays or cancellations of launches. Safety is always the first concern when deciding to launch balloons.

 

Frontier Power has been a major of the festival for 19 years. Other sponsors include Kraft Heinz, Edward Jones, Frontier Propane, Ohio Laborers Union, Standard Power and William Albert Excavating. Friends of the festival include Coshocton City Fire Department, Coshocton Coffee Connection, Coshocton County EMS, Coshocton County Recycling and Litter Prevention, Domino’s Pizza, Jackson Twp Fire Department, Kimble Companies, Mike and Carol Remington, Nelson Builders, Pearl Valley Cheese, Peddicord Rice LePage Auction/Reality, Three Rivers Fire District and Warsaw Lions Club.

 

For information about the festival, visit coshoctonhotairballoonfestival.com. For updates on balloon launches, follow the festival Facebook page.