The first annual Ceres Skies the Limit Hot Air Balloon Festival will take place this Saturday at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park on Hatch Road.
The catch is that you have to rise before the crack of dawn and be in place by 6:45 a.m. on the soccer fields to catch the most spectacular views of the launching of approximately 10 hot-air balloons.
Late risers can still enjoy the sight of the one or two hot-air balloons that will remain until 3 p.m. for tethered flights – if there are no wind problems – as well as a festival atmosphere that features food and arts and crafts vendors as well as music by local musicians Greg Scudder and Patty Castillo Davis.
Barring a wind problem, the public will be able to hop into a basket and lift off for free tethered balloon rides as long as the supply of propane lasts. A suggested donation of $10 to $20 per person will be asked, however.
Tamra Spade, the city of Ceres’ Economic Development Manager, came up with the idea of giving Ceres a new annual festival intended to draw people from all over, including the Bay area, to Ceres where they may purchase gas, shop in stores, stay in hotels and eat in Ceres restaurants. The event will be modeled after the Soaring Over Ripon event that Spade was involved with when she was employed with the Ripon Chamber of Commerce.
Spade said the annual family-friendly community event is now the only festival of its kind in this part of the Central Valley since Ripon cancelled its balloon festival.
Balloonists will be arriving around 5:30 a.m. and getting everything ready for the launch after the 6:30 a.m. opening ceremony and Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting. A high school student has been invited to sing the National Anthem and a clarinet player to perform.
“As the National Anthem starts, one of the balloons will go up with the flag and fly over and we’ll do our little presentation and ceremony,” said Spade. “At 6:45 the rest of the balloons will launch and go up and go away.”
While the balloons are launching, air traffic into the nearby Modesto Airport will be temporarily halted since the park is directly beneath the approach zone.
The free festival will include approximately 55 vendors selling food, drink, arts and crafts from, a Lions Club pancake breakfast, a carnival for kids and bands playing live music.
At 12:30 p.m. the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department helicopter will land and remain until on the ground for public viewing until 3 p.m.
Because the park’s parking lot is limited the city is offering overflow parking and free shuttle service. Parking will be available through Luxury Limousine at the former Walmart store parking lot on Hatch Road; and at Sam Vaughn Elementary School, 2618 Helen Perry Road; La Rosa Elementary School, 2800 Eastgate Blvd.; and at Cesar Chavez Jr. High School, 2701 Eastgate Blvd. Spade said the shuttles should be every 15 minutes.
The Ceres City Council allocated $10,000 of ARPA funding to jumpstart the festival. The ARPA funds ae being used to cover expenses of balloonists to attend the event, rentals of portable restrooms, security, bands and shuttle service.
