Saturday morning’s planned 6 a.m. ascension and Hare and Hound Race had to be cancelled due to a thick, moist marine layer that hid even the surrounding mountains. But the weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, who were treated to an airborne show when the pilots went ahead and inflated the balloons, which were kept tethered.The colorful colors of “California Dreamin’” drew many lookers, and many asked if the balloon was named after the famous Mamas and Pappas song. “10-4,” replied pilot David Bradley of Temecula.Some pilots were offering rides, and Sue and Dan Harding of Santa Paula, official festival photographers, were among the army of photographers clicking away. “The chill from the glow never goes away,” said Sue Harding, who had not only been kept busy late into the previous evening, but also noted “we’ll be all day... and all night.”Limoneira Vice President Alex Teague said the Citrus Classic Hot Air Balloon Festival is “a great event that is also firmly entrenching Santa Paula on the map.”Saturday evening also drew a crowd of balloon lovers, and Festival Organizer Carla Edwards welcomed the attendees. “We have every single wonderful ticket stub” to confirm the previous evening’s attendance. “Look at you! See all these people” who, she added, have enthusiastically embraced the event.Another embrace was in store for Carla’s husband Harold, Limoneira Company President/CEO, who had celebrated his birthday the previous evening and was presented by his wife with a framed photograph of the company’s lemon balloon taken on Teague McKevett Ranch. “This festival is the greatest” and, said Harold, “it’s a perfect event to showcase Santa Paula!”And that included lemon bars, according to Denise Hause of Camarillo, who was attending the festival with her husband Mike, the president/CEO of Santa Clara Valley Bank. “And I can’t wait to see a glow!” she added as she went to the Epicure booth for the sweet lemony treat.“People really put themselves on the line” to create such an event, said Bob Orlando of Santa Paula, waiting in line for a funnel cake. “You really have to hand it to them.”A big hit was the Panda head balloon, which had wowed the crowd at the inaugural festival and was back for the second year. Tom Chico of Oceanside was telling the crowd the unusual shaped balloon can at times be challenging to handle, but worth the attention it gets.There’s something magical about hot air balloons and the crowd, said Police Chief Steve MacKinnon. “Everybody who showed up is in a good mood, really happy to be here,” as well as enthusiastic about their visit to the area.MacKinnon was pleasantly “surprised at how many people” said they had heard of other Santa Paula events and were expressing an interest in other celebrations. The community is gaining a strong reputation for staging. “They would say for a little town there’s a lot to look forward to.”And to look over: “It was just incredible, the view, the feeling,” said Donna Dandridge of Northridge, who took a tethered hot air balloon ride with her husband Chuck. “It truly felt like floating,” which, she added with a laugh, “I guess we were!”
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(Photo top left) An estimated crowd of 7,000 came to watch hot air balloons inflate during the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival this past Friday and Saturday. Here, hot air ballons begin coming to life right at dusk. About 20 Balloons were inflated for the evening “Glow.” The weather created some problems thus the balloons were not able to fly Saturday morning for the “Hare & Hound” contest. (Top right photo) Once the hot air balloons were inflated the evening “Glow” began, with all the balloons lighting their propane tanks all at once illuminating the night sky with all the colors in the rainbow and more. The “Glows” took place both Friday and Saturday evenings. Saturday evening pilots were having difficulty with the light breeze thus not as many lit up the sky. (Bottom photo) The hot air balloons, from the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival, could easily be seen from the air. The Balloon Festival was held on the soccer fields on the Limoneira property know as Santa Paula’s East Area 1. (Aerial photo by Craig Mailloux) |
Citrus Classic Balloon Festival glows into the night
August 05, 2009
Citrus Classic Hot Air Balloon Festival a high-flying success
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesThe first balloon flight 226 years ago sent a duck, sheep and rooster over scenic Paris; and although these pioneers of flight could not comment on their adventure, those attending the 2nd Annual Citrus Classic Hot Air Balloon Festival had plenty to say about their two days of airborne entertainment. Thousands of modern day adventurers crowded Teague McKevett Ranch for the event that drew visitors from throughout Southern California and even beyond.Friday evening’s Glow drew an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 people, including Heidi Juarez, who was waiting for her husband, Santa Paula Police Lieutenant Carlos Juarez, to get off festival-related duty. “I’m just enjoying,” she noted, “and looking forward to the balloons” being inflated for the show of lights.“We’re having a great time and can’t wait for the balloons,” said Santa Paula Fire Captain Dan Campos, who was there with his family including daughters Alyssa, 7, and Alexyss, 5, for their first festival experience. John Procter was the MC for the event, where families came and spread out blankets picnic style and kept the inflatable jumps and other kid friendly activities busy while waiting for the Glow.Jeff Marcus of Studio City was waiting for something to eat from one of the various food vendors. “I’m really jazzed about this,” Marcus said of the festival and his first visit to Santa Paula, where he said he planned to spend the night for the Saturday morning ascension.“I think this is a very good thing for Santa Paula, very much in keeping with their airport,” noted Ventura Councilman Carl Morehouse. “I was here last year and it was neat!”After getting off ticket selling duty Connie Tushla of Santa Paula said, “We’re just one booth, but I think we sold up to 600 tickets... and many people already had their tickets.”City Councilman Fred Robinson was delighted with both the turnout and the event: “Isn’t this great? Santa Paula Airport,” where the inaugural festival was held, “was really nice, but this is so intimate... like a big summer picnic with giant balloons.”Kids were dancing and jumping to the nonstop musical entertainment, but then they were riveted when they heard the first whoosh signifying the approximately 25 balloons were being inflated. Children couldn’t resist running up excitedly to touch the inflating balloons before they became airborne, pilots and their crews holding lines and putting their weight against baskets during the process.Softly glowing balloons were going up left and right over the two Limoneira Company soccer fields, and when they were all filled and in the air it revealed an even larger crowd than had been visible before. The giant King Kong and Titanic inflatables were framed - and dwarfed - by the balloons, each decorated with different colors and designs highlighted by flame.Photographers both professional and amateur scrambled to capture the surreal scene on film as the balloons filled and blocked out the remnants of the day’s last light. “The Limoneira Company balloon is the largest lemon in the world,” Procter pointed out to the crowd as the sunny yellow balloon filled.The crowd was asked to count down, and upon reaching one the balloons would all Glow. Each balloon glowed, one by one, when its name was called, including the balloon piloted by Robin McWilliams of Cypress, whose sponsor was the Santa Paula Times. “Oh, we’ll see!” the busy McWilliams called good-naturedly to one of the children who was asking for a ride as the pilot was firing up.“I want to go up,” 6-year-old Samantha Manisky of Agoura Hills insisted to her parents Doug and Melanie, who promised they would as soon the opportunity arose.When the Glow concluded, Sergeant Jimmy Fogata was handing out McGruff the Crime Fighting Dog stickers to passing children including Amber Grace Wineman, 5, of Newbury Park.
