If you’re looking for something unique to do in Northeast Indiana, then you’ll want to head to the Angola Balloons Aloft event this weekend.
“We promote it as a free, fun, family event. We don’t charge. We have gracious sponsors that pay for everything except for the food. It’s something different,” Tim Crooks, Balloons Aloft Director, said.
In addition to the competition flights, the popular balloon illuminations, including Looney Tunes characters, are set for both Friday and Saturday evenings at Angola High School, July 11-12.
Additionally, the event will have a kid’s fun zone,18 food vendors, live music, and a classic car show that takes place on Saturday.
Balloons Aloft started 16 years ago, and the first balloons took flight at the Tri-State Airport outside of Angola. The event has grown from five balloons to 35 flying above Steuben County. The most they’ve ever had in one year was 40.
Among this year’s balloons, they are scheduled to have pilots from five different continents.
“All of our pilots are here because this is a competition along with the festival. They are competing for points to go on to nationals,” Crooks said. “It makes it interesting that they can come to Angola, get points and then go all over the world. We have some of the best pilots I’ve ever seen.”
Crooks has been involved with Balloons Aloft in some capacity since the beginning in 2010, and he has been the director for the last five years. His favorite part of the event is how “it lifts the spirits of the community.”
“The biggest joy we get is when we see a whole family show up with their kids. That’s the best part of the whole thing as far as I’m concerned,” Crooks said.
The event has become an annual tradition for people in Northeast Indiana. It’s an event that brings the whole community of Angola together for a weekend because you have an opportunity to see a balloon fly anywhere around the city. And if you are willing, you can allow for a balloon to launch from your backyard.
If you live within 10 miles of downtown Angola, have a field or acreage, and would allow the pilots to use your property, organizers ask people to tape a sign to their front door that says it’s “OK to launch here” or “balloons welcome.”
For what you can expect this weekend, you can find the details and the full schedule at https://angolaballoonsaloft.com/ or on their Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information regarding flights.
Stay tuned to the NEI Blog and our social media channels throughout the summer for more festival content!
Brice Vance is the copywriter for NEI, and he will be flying in a hot air balloon this weekend.
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