July 10 and 11 the Ohio Challenge presented by Selection.com will return to Middletown, Ohio with hot air balloons, live entertainment, and great food. The Festival will be held at Smith Park in downtown Middletown Friday and Saturday evenings, July 10 & 11 from 4:00 pm to 10:30 pm.
On Friday evening, hot air balloons will fill the skies over Middletown, Ohio. Pilots competing this year will begin the competition Friday evening with a 7:00 PM launch from Smith Park in Middletown, Ohio. The competition continues Saturday morning July 11 at 7:00 am with a remote launch and another launch from Smith Park Saturday evening at 7:00 pm. The competition ends Sunday morning with another remote launch at 7:00 am.
The balloons won't just be competing. Over the course of the weekend, there will be balloon glows Friday and Saturday evenings at 9:15 pm. Tethered rides and full balloon rides are available to the public, as well as helicopter rides, bi-plane rides, and tandem skydives. In addition to all that, Team Fastrax will, as usual, perform their breathtaking skydives, landing inside the festival.
There are plenty of things to do on the ground too. Pistol Holler will provide live music Friday night and The Jen Stamper & Southern Comfort will provide live music Saturday night. Along with music, the event will also have a Laser-Pyro Musical at 10:00 pm Friday, July 10 and a Fireworks display Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 pm. In between all of the excitement, the event will have unique arts and crafts to peruse and delicious food to eat.
There will also be a ceremony honoring wounded service men and women Saturday evening. As part of the Team Fastrax Wounded Warrior Weekend to Remember, Purple Heart Recipients and Gold Star Families will be honored on the main stage as Team Fastrax skydives in the American flag.
The festival runs Friday and Saturday from 4 to 10:30 pm. Walk-in admission is $4 per adult (12 and under are free) or $10 per vehicle, which includes parking at Middletown Regional Airport, admission for all occupants, and free shuttle service. Handicap parking is available inside Smith Park with a valid permit. All vehicles should enter via Middletown Regional Airport.
Saturday and Sunday morning balloon flights take place at approximately 7:00 am. Admission to the park is free during the morning hours. The festival will conclude Saturday night with a fireworks display courtesy of Start Skydiving. The balloon competition will conclude on Sunday morning.
For more information about the 2015 Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival presented by Selection.com visit www.ohiochallenge.com or click here for a complete schedule!
