Jul 30, 2018 / Comments Off on Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair Comments

OUR TITLE PARTNER, ANDERSON TOYOTA IS BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR SUPPORTING THE BALLOONS ABOVE WINDSOR BEACH AT WINDSOR 4 (AZ STATE PARKS).

The three/four-day festival is slated for January 10th through the 13th (it was formally held on MLK weekend) and is expected to bring more than 24,000 visitors to the event. We will open the gates on Thursday at noon, and close approximately at 3:00 pm on Sunday. According to organizers, it’s the largest balloon festival in January in the U.S. and attracts balloonists from Canada, the Midwest and overseas.

General admission tickets are $15 each. 

We hold the festival at last years’ Windor 4 (AZ State Parks) location, close to the famous London Bridge. It was a big hit with spectators, without having to cross the bridge, so we thought we’d keep everyone happy. There is also more offsite parking with several huge parking lots that attendees can use and buses and shuttles will bring people to and from the front gates. The 2019 event theme is Arizona Sky Wizards, after all our pilots are the wizards in the sky!

Balloons glow for the crowd Friday evening during night glow on at the Nautical Inn. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

One of the most popular activities is the balloon glow at night, which features a DJ and MC and will be choreographed to music. When balloons glow and the lights flicker, it is heart-pumping and spectacular. During the day, balloon pilots also do a “splash-and-dash” over the water close to the London Bridge in the channel, bringing the balloon baskets to barely touch the water. It takes a lot of skill by the pilot to accomplish that.

For entertainment, three headline acts will don the main stage. We have yet to announce them, but watch our facebook page and website for those announcement. A variety of local bands and other live music along with local clubs, karate and youth clubs will provide additional entertainment.

Carnival rides and pony rides will delight kids and a 5k “Run With Balloons” will be held inside the state park. We held a golf tournament at The Refuge last year the week before the event with a $10,000 cash prize.and it was such a success, we thought we’d try it again!

Currituck Lighthouse during the 2015 Balloon Fest. Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

Please plan on coming out and enjoying the whole day. Come for the balloon launch in the morning, enjoy the entertainment all day and stay for the balloon glow in the evening.

The festival is run 100 percent by volunteers and takes approximately 1,400 to 2,000 people to donate their time for the event. Many volunteers spend their time all year long in the planning stages. Funds raised are divided among two Lake Havasu City Lions and three Rotary clubs which they in turn donate back into the local community. Our hope is that you come to help us raise money to give back to less fortunate, while having a great time!

Lake Havasu City is a fun place to be and a day trip from Laughlin, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. We hope everyone decides to attend, have fun outside while enjoying our great weather. It’s a very colorful, delightful, spectacular event. For more information, visit www.havasuballoonfest.com or our facebook page: www.facebook.com/HavasuBalloonFest.

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