2019 Angola Balloons Aloft

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July 12-13, 2019

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Angola Balloons Aloft

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July 9, 2019

HOME & GARDEN

Yard waste and household toxics such as paints, solvents, and pesticides often make their way into the Steuben County storm drain system and DO NOT GET TREATED before reaching our lakes.

These wastes make our waters unhealthy and unsafe for people and wildlife.

Follow these practices to help prevent stormwater pollution…

In Your Home…

Household products such as paints, paint thinners, drain openers, motor oil, wood polishes, insecticides & herbicides, oven cleaners, and many other general cleaners frequently get dumped on the ground, or into a gutter, street or storm drain. Instead of polluting our stormwaters, take these items to a household hazardous waste collection facility.

PAINT THINNER

BUG SPRAY

Fertilizers and Pesticides…

Fertilizers and pesticides are often carried into our storm drains by sprinkler runoff. To minimize stormwater pollution, use organic or non-toxic pesticides and fertilizers as directed, and keep them away from ditches, gutters and storm drains. Store them in a covered area off the ground to prevent contact with water.

Trimmin’ the Garden…

Decaying organic materials that enter our storm drains, such as grass, leaves, yard clippings, and pet waste, will use up oxygen in nearby streams, stressing aquatic life.

Prevent stormwater pollution by not blowing, sweeping, raking or hosing yard waste into the street, gutter, or storm drain.

Alternatively, leave grass clippings on your lawn after mowing, or compost your clippings and yard waste.

Pet waste should not be composted, but rather disposed of in the trash to prevent the potential spread of diseases.

Megan Knowles

102 N. Main Street, Kendallville, IN 46755 (260) 347-0400

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Planting In The Yard…

Produce less yard waste and save water by planting low maintenance trees and shrubs. Also, conserve water and minimize unwanted runoff by using drip irrigation, soaker hoses, or micro-spray systems to water vegetation.

Angola’s Clean Water Utilities (260) 665-2514 www.angolain.org

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Angola Balloons Aloft

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Welcome to the 2019 Angola Balloons Aloft We are honored and pleased to welcome you to the 2019 Angola Balloons Aloft. This exceptional event provides a unique opportunity for this region to witness the best balloonists as they showcase their talents.

Big or small, the awe of witnessing hot air ballooning, up close and personal, delivers a one-of-a-kind experience.

We want to thank area leaders, coordinators, volunteers and the teams supporting this year’s event for their hard work. It’s those efforts that help to make each year an extraordinary experience, allowing this event

to take flight!

Parkview Health is privileged to again support this family-friendly event. As the signature sponsor, we hope your time at this year’s event is filled with wonderment, excitement, and creates lasting memories with your loved ones for years to come. May there be clear skies and we wish everyone an entertaining time.

Mike Packnett President & CEO Parkview Health

Proud to be a part of Angola Balloons Aloft Hello and welcome to the 10th Annual Angola Balloons Aloft. This event has grown into one of the most favorite events in the tri-state area. This is a family-friendly affair with something for all ages to enjoy and hold your interest.

Come and enjoy the beauty of these awesome hot air balloons and the flying skills of these talented pilots as they work with the winds of nature to maneuver their balloons through sky to their destination.

See the full beauty of these colorful balloons

with their many different styles as the pilots light these beautiful pieces of art up in the evening. Come and take in the many tastes and smells of all the different foods you would expect at a festival like this.

The City of Angola is proud to be a part of Angola Balloons Aloft and we thank you, our visitors, all of the volunteers and the hot air balloon pilots for making this a very special time to be in Angola, Indiana!

Mayor Richard M. Hickman

More excitement than you can imagine On behalf of the Angola Balloons Aloft Event Committee it is our pleasure to invite you to the 10th anniversary of Angola Balloons Aloft July 12-13 at Angola High School. Opening ceremonies begin at 6 on Friday evening.

Our committee meets throughout the year to plan and bring new and exciting additions to Balloons Aloft. This year is no exception as we feature 30 competitive hot air balloons and four adorable specialshape characters. Evenings will light up the sky with a nighttime illumination and include the popular Retro Radio DJs on Friday and Saturday evening!

We would like to extend our thanks to Parkview Health for their presenting sponsorship along with the many northeast Indiana contributors. Without their support, Angola Balloons Aloft would not be able to offer this free family-friendly event to the community. Special thanks to the Metropolitan School District for opening their doors to us! Please look over our sponsorship

information in this insert and thank and frequent the variety of sponsors that make Angola Balloons Aloft possible.

Saturday morning will feature competition balloons flying over the high school for the annual “pole grab” and a pancake and sausage breakfast open to the public sponsored by the Angola Band Boosters from 7-10:30 a.m. Check the Schedule of Events in this insert for the many events scheduled throughout the two-day event and look for all of the excitement taking place in the Kid’s Fun Zone!

There will be a variety of food vendors, retail vending at the Balloons Aloft Bazaar and more excitement than you can imagine.

So be sure to bring out the entire family, your lawn chairs and a camera for some amazing photo opportunities.

Hoping for blue skies and calm winds, Tim Crooks Event Director, Angola Balloons Aloft Walt & Marsha Drewes Coordinators, Angola Balloons Aloft

Steuben County 4-H Fair July 19-25 Steuben County Park, Crooked Lake, Angola Mud Run – Rodeo – Truck and Tractor Pull – Free Concerts – Free Educational Seminars Kids’ Day Activities – Livestock Auction – Showmanship Contest Call (260) 668-1000 Ext. 1400 for more information or visit www.extension.purdue.edu/steuben

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Balloons Aloft marks 10th anniversary As usual, festival keeps it fresh by making changes

BY MIKE MARTURELLO

mmarturello@kpcmedia.com

ANGOLA — Angola Balloons Aloft is in its 10th year and it is always changing, just like the winds that power the pilots.

This year, Phil Clinger, competition director for Angola Balloons Aloft, will be piloting a dawn patrol flight of a hot air balloon to kick off this year’s event, said Marsha Drewes, who with her husband Walt co-chairs the committee that puts together the annual event held at Angola High School. This year’s event is Friday and Saturday with a Sunday competition flight.

A dawn patrol flight is one where a balloon launches in the dark, about an hour before daylight. The balloon will land at about sunrise.

“Very few events get to do this so I’m very excited we get to do this in Angola,” Drewes said.

To be able to fly in the dark Clinger, Marsha’s son, needed special equipment.

Of course, Clinger’s flight will be dependent on the weather. (Please see related story on page 9.)

Because of the weather from the past two years of Angola Balloons Aloft, a Sunday competition flight was added.

“Part of that is so we get at least one extra flight, just in case we have problems with the weather,” Marsha Drewes said.

Pilots who compete in balloon festivals are scored and they accumulate points throughout the season.

“Scoring is important for the pilots,” Drewes said.

If there is only one competition flight, for example, and pilots don’t score well, they often use the second flight to make up for the first. Adding the Sunday flight will hopefully alleviate any problems from reduced flights due to weather.

There will be 30 competition balloons this year and five fiesta balloons, which includes special shapes balloons and one balloon for paid balloon rides and tethered balloon rides.

While the public is welcome to watch the Sunday competition, the various activities that are presented with Angola Balloons Aloft will be over.

“The public is welcome but there just won’t be any of the other things that go

with it,” Crooks said.

“A lot of the festivals that fly on Sunday often shut down the rest of the festival,” Drewes said.

The rest of the festival will offer many activities on Friday and Saturday. Here are activities that are planned: • Kids’ Fun Zone. On Saturday, this area will include demonstrations from Soarin’ Hawk Raptors from 2-4 p.m.; Science Central from 3-5 p.m.; and visits from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Batman and Elsa from 3:30-5:30 p.m. There also will be bouncy inflatables available for a fee.

• Parkview Medical Center’s Samaritan Helicopter will be on hand Saturday afternoon.

• Meet the pilots. Balloon pilots will be available to meet and talk with on Saturday from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

• Helicopter rides will be available from 4-7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

• The antique tractor show and classic car show will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“The classic car show, we’ve had interest from as far away as western Illinois,” Crooks said, adding that it is already filled.

• Touch a Truck. This new event from JICI Construction, Angola, will bring in a variety of trucks and other equipment that children will be able to learn about in hands-on demonstrations. This will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Pancake and sausage breakfast. The Angola High School Band Boosters will host this event from 7-10:30 a.m. on Saturday. There will also be food vendors throughout the event, some of which are operated by local non-profit groups.

• The band Retro Radio will be performing both Friday and Saturday evenings.

Drewes and Crooks said the event would not go off were it not for the generous sponsors in the community, especially Parkview Health, which has been the signature sponsor of the festival since Day 1.

Angola High School is a tremendous host, Crooks said. “We couldn’t do it without the school,” he said.

In addition, a unique partnership helps provide free parking for the event.

Landowner Jim Hanna allows the event to park on his land just east of the high school. And that takes coordination with Stoy Farms, which plants the field to alfalfa. The field is usually cut the day before the event begins. The alfalfa is used by Bridgewater Dairy to feed its cattle.

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Not only is this the 10th anniversary year for Angola Balloons Aloft, but it is the 10th year it has been organized with Walt and Marsha Drewes leading the charge.

“We’re just really excited to be a part of the balloon festival,” Marsha said.

Admission and parking is free.

“It will remain a free, family fun event,” Crooks said.

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July 9, 2019

Angola Balloons Aloft

2019 Balloons Aloft schedule of events Times are approximate and schedules may change without notice. All events during Angola Balloons Aloft are dependent on prevailing weather conditions. The safety of pilots, volunteers and spectators is the primary concern.

Friday, July 12 5:15 a.m.: Dawn patrol 7 a.m.: Media flight 4-7 p.m.: Paid helicopter rides 4-9 p.m.: Kid’s Fun Zone, Animal Oasis, food and retail vendors 6 p.m.: Opening ceremonies 7 p.m.: Mass balloon launch and paid balloon rides 8-10:30 p.m.: Music by Retro Radio

Saturday, July 13 7 a.m.: Balloon competition and paid balloon rides 7-10:30 a.m.: Pancake and sausage breakfast open to the public hosted by the Angola Band Boosters 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Meet the Fleet sponsored by JICI 10 a.m.-7 p.m.: Paid helicopter rides 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Classic cars and antique

tractors 11 a.m.-9 p.m.: Food and retail vendors Noon-4 p.m.: Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Noon-9 p.m.: Kid’s Fun Zone and Animal Oasis 2 p.m.: Parkview Samaritan Helicopter 2-4 p.m.: Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab demo 3-5 p.m.: Science Central experiments and demo 3:30-4:30 p.m.: Meet the balloon pilots 3:30-5:30 p.m.: Hero characters and face painting 7 p.m.: Hot air balloon competition 7 p.m.: Tether balloon rides 8-10:30 p.m.: Music by Retro Radio Twilight: Hot air balloon illumination

Sunday, July 14 7 a.m.: Hot air balloon competition

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July 9, 2019

THANK YOU 2019 SPONSORS! PREMIER SPONSORS

Olive B. Cole Foundation, Inc. SPECIAL SHAPE SPONSORS

VIP SPONSORS

POLE GRAB SPONSOR

ILLUMINATION SPONSORS

Sheets Family Fund T-SHIRT SPONSORS

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

PROPANE SPONSOR

www.angolaballoonsaloft.com

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Angola Balloons Aloft

BALLOON SPONSORS

Mitchel & Debra Rhoads

KID’S FUN ZONE SPONSORS

Kent Mickem

kmickem1@gmail.com

Angola Lodge #163

MEDIA SPONSORS CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS 6 Autumns • Angola Fire Department • Avid Concepts • Steuben County EMS • MSD of Steuben County • Fairview Missionary Church • Metz Fire Department • ISP, Fort Wayne District 22 • Angola One Stop

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July 9, 2019

2019 Balloons Aloft lineup

Rerun Pilot: Mark Lytle, Portage, Michigan Sponsor: Angola Chamber of Commerce

Windswept Pilot: Charles Wyss, Fort Wayne Sponsor: Vestil Manufacturing

Sullair Pilot: Shawn Raya, Highland, Michigan Sponsor: Sullair

Independence Pilot: Chad Crabtree, Delton, Michigan Sponsor: Ramada Inn

Maveryx Pilot: Steve Sitko, Jackson, Michigan Sponsor: Tom’s Donuts

Viola Pilot: Cameron Wall, Albuquerque, New Mexico Sponsor: Ridenour Acres

Blue Magic Pilot: Tom Eismin, West Lafayette Sponsor: SCCF/Olive B. Cole

Fore II Pilot: Wes Dickerson, Milford, Michigan Sponsor: Bon Appetit

Dream Racer Pilot: Chris Smart, Huntington Sponsor: Campbell & Fetter Bank

Mesmerized Pilot: Eric Reeder, Ravenna, Michigan Sponsor: Touchstone Energy REMC

Kermie the Frog Pilot: Mark Macskimming, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Sponsor: Steuben County Tourism Bureau

Upgrade Pilot: Justin Wilkinson, Bermuda Dunes, California Sponsor: Trine University

Perfect Calm Pilot: Dennis Hall, Howell, Michigan Sponsor: Parkview Health

Wanderer Pilot: Larry Lankenau, Fort Wayne Sponsor: Jacob Insurance

Patches Pilot: Jordan Cox, Indianapolis Sponsor: Rep. Dennis Zent

Goodnight Gracie Pilot: Janet Lutkus, Medina, Ohio Sponsor: LeafFilter North LLC

Procrastination Pilot: Scott King, Midland, Michigan Sponsor: Croxton & Roe Insurance

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2019 Balloons Aloft lineup

Liberty Pilot: Phil Clinger, Battle Creek, Michigan Sponsor: Findlay CVB

Ralphie 2 Pilot: Ken Myer, Howell, Michigan Sponsor: Dry Dock Marine

Skittles Pilot: Brian Kunze, Valparaiso Sponsor: JICI

Reflections II Pilot: Derrick Jones, Hudsonville, Michigan Sponsor: Farmers State Bank

Superfluous Pilot: Larry Coan, New Hudson, Michigan Sponsor: Stoy Farms/Jim Hanna Family

America Pilot: Frank Anger, Tupelo, Mississippi Sponsor: Bowen Center

Oggy the Friendly Dragon Pilot: Jack Semler, Westfield Sponsor: Cameron Memorial Hospital

I’m Back!

Pilot: James Mitchell, Medina, Ohio Sponsor: Fort Financial

Special Purpose Pilot: Jeff Pestun, Holland, Michigan Sponsor: Jimmy John’s

Limoncello Pilot: Steve Wilkinson, Palm Desert, California Sponsor: Mitch and Debra Rhoads

Winds of Freedom Pilot: Deven Cook, Battle Creek, Michigan Sponsor: Key Bank

Michigan Cat Pilot: Rick Kerber, Wayland, Michigan Sponsor: Michigan Cat

Cynthia Seal Pilot: Pat Rolfe, Battle Creek, Michigan Sponsor: Flagstar

Old Cat Pilot: Steve Mitchell, Chagrin Falls, Ohio Sponsor: Best One Tire & Auto

Re/Max Pilot: Jeff Menchhofer, McCordsville Sponsor: Re/Max Results

Owlbert Eyenstein Pilot: Gary Moore, Lake Havasu, Arizona Sponsor: City of Angola

Mud Slinger Pilot: Charlie Mays, Ryland Heights, Kentucky Sponsor: Covington Box

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July 9, 2019

Competition key for balloon pilots

BY MIKE MARTURELLO

mmarturello@kpcmedia.com

BILL EYSTER/STEUBEN COUNTY TOURISM BUREAU

ANGOLA — The balloons might be the center of attention, with their spectacular colors and majestic shapes, but for the pilots, coming to Angola Balloons Aloft is also about competing.

There are not only prizes on the line, but the chance to accumulate points toward national points standings.

The competitions are not about speed but more about accuracy. Pilots try to fly to certain targets as close as possible.

There are about 15 nationally sanctioned competitions, which are not determined in advance.

Angola Balloons Aloft Competition Director Phil Clinger, Battle Creek, Michigan, said weather factors often determine which competition events will be selected on any given day. This is assessed about an hour in advance of the competition.

The competitive flights at Angola Balloons Aloft take place Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning.

Here are some of the more common contests that might be called up by Clinger at Angola Balloons Aloft. The information is from hotairballooning.com:

Hare and Hound

All the balloons launch from the same site, usually a festival. One balloon takes off first and is the hare balloon. The other balloons are called the hounds, and they will launch a predetermined time after the hare. The hare lands at a suitable site and lays out a large fabric X, usually about 50 feet in diameter. The hound balloons attempt to drop their markers as close to the center of the X as possible. The closest marker achieves the highest score.

Convergent Navigational Task

The target X is placed in a secure area, usually the festival site. The balloons can launch anywhere they want as long as they are outside of a predetermined radius from the X, usually 1, 2, or 3 miles. Pilots fly in, drop their markers at the X, and scoring is based on the distance from the center of the X.

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Watership Down

This is a two-part task that combines a CNT with a Hare and Hound. Competitors take off outside of a predetermined radius of the first target (usually at the festival site) and drop their first marker. The hare balloon launches from the first X and the hound balloons continue on to drop their second marker at the X set down by the hare.

Key Grab

A Key Grab is nearly identical to a CNT, but instead of an X at the target, a pole 10 or 20 feet high is the target. A detachable ring is fastened to the top of the pole. The first pilot who removes the ring wins the prize. Prizes can be almost anything; new cars, cash, and even new balloons have been given away! An X for a CNT is often placed near the pole and the two tasks are flown simultaneously. Throw your marker and grab the ring — you can do quite well in a single flight!

Minimum Distance Double Drop

The judges define two scoring areas.

The task is to drop one marker in each scoring area, with the shortest distance between the two markers achieving the highest score. Watch out, though — in an effort to get your markers as close together as possible, one marker might drift outside the boundaries of a scoring area, resulting in no score.

ELBO

Pilots take off from a common launch point (point A) and fly to a judge declared goal (point B). One marker is dropped at point B. The pilot then tries to change the direction of flight and drop a second marker at a point (point C) that will result in the smallest angle between point A and point C.

Multiple Pilot Declared Goal

The competition director will assign pilots to drop markers at multiple targets of their choice. Targets are usually road intersections or road-railroad intersections.

Sounds easy, but the targets must be identified by their map coordinates. The first target’s coordinates must be declared before launch, the coordinates for the second target must be written on the tail of the marker dropped at the first target, and so on. Errors in writing down the coordinates or choosing a target that is difficult to get to can cost precious points.

As you can see, balloon competitions can be very challenging. Serious competitors use very sophisticated computer programs to track wind speed and direction before they fly, and use GPS receivers in the balloon during flight to assist in determining the best altitude to fly to get to the next target.

In the early days of competition flying, some pilots felt lucky to drop a marker within a hundred feet of a target. Today, the center of a target can have dozens of markers within a foot of its center.

Sometimes penalty points or a rules violation can make the difference between winning and losing.

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Dawn patrol a new feature in 2019 Phil Clinger will be making pre-dawn balloon flight

BY MIKE MARTURELLO

mmarturello@kpcmedia.com

ANGOLA — Thanks to popular request, there will be a dawn patrol flight at this year’s Angola Balloons Aloft.

So, if you see a bright glow over the Angola skyline on Friday, that’s because Phil Clinger will be launching his Liberty balloon approximately 30-40 minutes before dawn, which is just minutes prior to the official start of the 10th Angola Balloons Aloft. The annual media flight at about 7 a.m. is the official start of the event.

A dawn patrol flight is one where a balloon — or multiple balloons — launches in the dark, up to an hour before daylight. The balloon will land at about sunrise.

“Dawn patrol is basically the name we give to launching a balloon before sunrise,” Clinger said.

This is the only time a balloon will be seen flying in the dark. Other than nighttime glows, which are held on Friday and Saturday nights at Balloons Aloft and the balloons do not lift off, balloons only fire up and fly during the daytime, morning and early evening, typically for competitions.

“Very few events get to do this so I’m

very excited we get to do this in Angola,” said Marsha Drewes, who along with her husband, Walt, chair the Angola Balloons Aloft planning committee.

“It’s been a request to do this for a few years and I have the right equipment so we decided to do it,” Clinger said.

The equipment necessary to fly in the dark is lighting that’s required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The launch is planned to take off from Angola High School, home of Balloons Aloft.

“That’s absolutely the intention, as long as the weather allows us to do so,” Clinger said.

Tim Crooks, who handles safety and much of the logistics for the event, said he expects some people might be startled when they hear the sound of the burner of the balloon and see a big glow in the early morning sky.

“Of course there will be calls for UFO sightings,” Drewes chuckled.

Marsha and Walt got to see a sizable dawn patrol at last year’s Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, one of the largest balloon festivals in the world, and were greatly impressed.

To be able to fly in the dark Clinger, Marsha’s son, needed special equipment.

Of course, Clinger’s flight will be dependent on the weather.

Clinger will be flying in a balloon named Liberty, which is of patriotic colors.

“It’s actually a brand new balloon. You guys have not seen it (in Angola). It was new late last summer,” Clinger said.

ANITA RITENOUR

In this Oct. 9, 2010, photo, hot air balloons fly in a dawn patrol flight at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Angola Balloons Aloft will have a dawn patrol this year when the festival kicks off predawn on Friday, July 12. Competition Director Phil Clinger is licensed to make a flight in the dark and will be flying this new addition to Balloons Aloft.

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People can participate, engage pilots during event KPC NEWS SERVICE ANGOLA — Organizers of Angola Balloons Aloft are reaching out to the public to become a part of the event beyond being spectators at the host site, Angola High School.

People can welcome balloonists to their properties — typically acreages and farms — and there are some safety pointers for the public to follow.

“If a balloon lands on a property with permission, the pilots always enjoy having the host property owner engage! It’s part of the enjoyment for the pilots and crew to meet rural folks and entertain them with their sport,” said Marsha Drewes, who along with her husband, Walt, chair the committee that organizes Balloons Aloft.

If you live within an 8-mile radius of Angola High School and would like to become part of the Angola Balloons Aloft event, all you need is a white sheet.

“If you would not mind having a balloon landing or launching from your property,

all you have to do is place a white sheet in a visible place in your yard,” Marsha Drewes said.

Affix the sheet to the ground and a balloonist might just land in your yard on Friday or Saturday. Or they might use your property to launch from.

Balloons Aloft organizers ask participants to place a white sheet on the spot starting Friday early morning until Sunday morning.

Make sure the sheet can be seen from the air so when a balloon pilot sees it, he or she knows you have given him or her permission to land.

Drewes pointed out that because of the variability of winds and other factors, putting a sheet in your yard does not guarantee a balloonist will land there.

In addition, people who might want to follow a balloon over the countryside are being asked to exercise caution and respect people’s property.

“Actually the biggest effort on the part

Sometimes We Meet By Accident!

of the public is to make sure they don’t follow too closely to the chase vehicles and not cause a traffic jam,” Drewes said. “If you are watching or following balloons, make sure you keep your eyes on the highway!”

For An

If people do follow balloons and decide to stop along a road or at a property, they should make sure they are parking in a place where parking is allowed, such as a county road shoulder.

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People who want to welcome pilots to their properties during Angola Balloons Aloft are asked to affix a white sheet to the ground designating a landing spot.

Balloons Aloft runs Friday and Saturday.

Phone: 260-665-8604 Fax: 260-665-8989

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