July 6, 2011

To give a “heads up” to the Middletown area, two special shape balloons will fly over the City of Middletown on Thursday evening, July 14, weather permitting. The Purple People Eater and Smiley will join together in a fly-over on the eve of the MidUSA Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival to be held on Friday, July 15 from 4 to10 pm,; Saturday, July 16 from 7-11 am and 4-10 pm; and Sunday, July 17 from 7-11 am.

StartSkydiving.com will kick off the festivities with the annual Friday morning VIP tandem jump. This year’s honored guests are four members of the US Army National Guard units stationed on South Main Street in Middletown.

In past years the honored tandem jumpers have been police officers, high school football players, grandmas, wounded veterans and school administrators. Many of the StartSkydiving team and Team Fastrax, the performing jumpers during the MidUSA Ohio Challenge, are also military veterans and are always anxious to thank those who keep America free.

Maria Langendorf, chairperson of the Challenge, said, “The flyovers and jumps are a most unusual way to kick off an event. We thank our friends in the air for this spectacular way to begin a very special event.”

The 9th annual MidUSA Ohio Challenge will include the hot air balloon competition flights, skydiving demonstrations, circus workshops and aerial performances, a classic car show, arts & crafts, festival foods, carnival rides, trackless train ride, balloon glows, music by WGRR’s own LunaMan on Friday evening and an engaging performance Saturday night with music by dueling pianos.

Admission is $3 for adult walk-ins (children 12 and under FREE) OR $8 per carload. Parking is at the Middletown Regional Airport with free shuttle service to the festival grounds in Smith Park.

For more information and an up-to-date schedule, visit www.MidUSAOhioChallenge.com or call 513-705-1770.