Published: Monday, May 07, 2012, 7:43 AM -By Press-Register staff-al.com
FOLEY, Alabama -- Festival committee members are finalizing plans for the 8th Annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, presented by Tanger Outlets.The festival is set for June 15-17 at the Foley Sports Complex on U.S. 98, just west of Foley.
“The 8th annual Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival is just over a month away,” said Festival Chairwoman Angie Johnston. “This year’s committee along with many volunteers has worked extremely hard to put together another wonderful family event for Father’s Day weekend.
“Bringing your family to the festival makes for a memorable, fun-filled weekend. Bring your lawn chairs or spread out a blanket and enjoy the beautiful balloon glow on Friday and Saturday evening.
It is a breath-taking experience seeing the colorful balloons flying around the festival grounds and lighting up the night skies. The wide variety of Arts and Crafts vendors, as well as retail vendors, will offer many unique treasures. The free children’s village will be rockin’ this year with live kids’ entertainment by Babin’s House of Party. Be sure you do not miss the multiple performances by the high flying Disc Connected K-9’s Frisbee Dog Team.”
A highlight of the festival is the balloon glow scheduled for Friday and Saturday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. Hot air balloons can only fly when the winds are very still, usually early morning and late afternoon. Festival organizers recommend that visitors come early, around 6 a.m., or late, around 6:30 p.m., to see the balloons fly.
Although the balloons are absent during the middle of the day, there is plenty at the festival for the entire family to enjoy. This year’s event will feature an interactive hot air balloon display. Visitors will have the opportunity to walk inside the colorful envelope of the hot air balloon and get an inside view of how the hot air balloons operate.
There will also be a variety of live entertainment including The Brooke Woods Band and Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster performing on Friday beginning at 4 p.m.
Saturday features The Modern Eldorado’s and Fly By Radio taking stage at 4 p.m. as well as local performances by the Foley High School Steel Drum Band, the 313th Army Band and Foley Elementary School, just to name a few.
Festival organizers encourage visitors to take advantage of the free festival shuttle transportation from three locations in Foley including Foley Elementary School, Foley Heritage Park and Tanger Outlet Center. Shuttles will run from 2 to 10 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Onsite parking is extremely limited and vehicles will be charged $5 per day to park on the festival grounds.
A complete listing of the festival and shuttle schedules can be found on www.gulfcoastballoonfestival.com, by finding Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival on Facebook or visiting the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, 112 W. Laurel Ave. in Foley.
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