Balloon Festival
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown Community
Forum Name: Community Events
Forum Description: Post and discuss area events, upload photos and pdf.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1170
Printed Date: Nov 04 2025 at 9:23am
Topic: Balloon Festival
Posted By: 409
Subject: Balloon Festival
Date Posted: Mar 31 2009 at 1:54pm
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Is this for real? From the MJ: When the Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival lifts off in July, it will do so with a few changes. The parking entrance for the event held July 17-19 will be moved to the Hook Field airport entrance off Ohio 4, with a free shuttle that will take visitors to Smith Park. "We're trying to make it safer and less cumbersome ... there's limited hard surface parking (off Tytus Avenue) and we wanted to be careful of parking people on the grounds there," said Ann Mort, event spokeswoman. The Ohio Challenge has teamed with the airport and with the Middletown Aviation Foundation to help make this possible. The pedestrian entrance will remain at Tytus Avenue.A few points to ponder: Will those who have children want to pack strollers, coolers, blankets, etc on a shuttle when they could simply remove then from their cars and go as they have in the past with parking inside Smith Park?
What about those who may need to make multiple trips to their vehicles.
Tytus Ave was always backed up with traffic. I can't imagine the mess on Germantown Rd.
Mort says there is limited hard surface parking off Tytus Ave. Can anyone tell me where all the hard surface parking is located at the airport?
Will this help increase attendance? I'd be suprised! Of course weather is a factor.
These are just a few off the top of my head.
I believe the real cause of this were some complaints from some of the sports groups.
I think they should leave it the way it's been in the past. JMO
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Replies:
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Mar 31 2009 at 2:56pm
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Hmm...I wonder where the "executive parking" will be??? Perhaps I'll park in the "added value" parking lot across from Bi-Centennial Commons and ride my scooter up the "bike path" to Smith Park. ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: John Beagle
Date Posted: Mar 31 2009 at 3:18pm
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Welcome 409 and thanks for the nice informational post! ------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |
Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Mar 31 2009 at 9:18pm
| Thanks 409. I will make sure the committee knows of your concerns. Our "first" meeting of the entire committee is tomorrow night. |
Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Mar 31 2009 at 11:59pm
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MadMom...I (we) appreciate that. In discussing this parking scenario with others, we all feel this will be detrimental to increasing attendance and an inconvenience. Likewise, I believe most would like to see this event continue through the years. It just won't happen if attendance keeps dropping. Also, a good time for a reasonable price in this economy. |
Posted By: Impala SS
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 1:28am
| Why dosent Ann Mort Keep her nose out of it? She is part of the reason the attendance is down. When you have a good thing going you leave it alone. Thats why I do not go any more. Does she have a degree in balloon shows? I think not. |
Posted By: riverwind
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 7:06am
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Ann Mort has been associated with the Ohio Challenge since its inception. Her hard work and experience in public relations has helped the event to grow as it has. And no, I am neither a relative nor a city person River Wind |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 8:49am
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I agree with River.
Despite many areas wher I don't jive with Mrs.Mort's thinking, I see her as a long-term great asset to our community in so many ways.
She has made many things happen, and many more things happen much better.
I like her and trust her.
She is a strong piece of the puzzle, and we have room for her efforts/thinking as well as that of everyone else.
The true path to area success/improvement is the melding of the Mort group with the alternative thinkers represented here, and everyone else who wants to be involved.
She(and her husband) have done infinitely more than their share around here.
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Posted By: Middletown News
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 10:26am
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I don't know why you jump on Ann Mort all the time. People like Ann are the people getting things done in this town. What have you done that is as good as any 1 think Ann has done? ------------- Please like our http://www.facebook.com/middletownusa" rel="nofollow - Middletown USA Facebook Page |
Posted By: Impala SS
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 5:51pm
| Mr Jonathan I have taken care of people with AIDS for over 20 years. I took them in my home when nobody would even speak to them. I took care of them till they died, I have held little babys when they took there last breath. Which is more important a persons life or the good old boys club? You tell me. |
Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Apr 01 2009 at 9:26pm
www.midfirstohiochallenge.com Please go to this site and voice your concerns. There are e-mail contacts on this site. They know there are people not happy with the new parking for 2009. BUT there are extenuating circumstances that sort of forced the executive committee's hand. The executive committee has been working on this for months. This event takes almost a year to plan. Lots of good people doing something that Middletown should be proud of. Besides holding down a full time job, this is strictly volunteer. 409, more about this event will come to light in the next few months. |
409 wrote:Posted By: 409
Date Posted: Apr 02 2009 at 9:46am
| Thanks MadMom |
Posted By: Impala SS
Date Posted: Apr 11 2009 at 4:35am
 Will the shuttle be set up for handicap people? My sister comes from Columbus Ohio every year, she is in a wheelchair and she brings her grand kids with her. I told her about the change in parking, she said it would make it hard on her with the kids.So she said she would not be coming this year and she would not be coming back for light up Middletown also. She said Middletown is really going down the tubes fast. She comes to visit all the time and says the magazine article is true, Middletown is dieing.
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