UP, UP, AND AWAY

NEBRASKA BALLOON & WINE FESTIVAL IS A SUMMER MAIN EVENT

Story by Kim Carpenter // Photography Courtesy of Mid-America Expositions

ew sites are as majestic as a Nebraska sunset. Pair that with the glow of over a dozen hot air balloons ascending in unison, and you have one of the most breathtaking skylines of summer. Add wine, beer, food, and family activities, and it becomes one of the most memorable events of the season. That’s thanks to the Nebraska Balloon & Wine Festival, happening this year at Elkhorn’s Ta-Ha-Zouka Park on August 18 and 19.

The annual affair, held by Mid-America Expositions and now entering its 17th year, attracts thousands of hot air balloon and wine enthusiasts for a reason. Aside from the main attractions in the festival title, the popular event offerings include skydivers, paragliders, a KidZone with pony rides, inflatables, bungee jump bouncing, face painting, and other family-friendly activities, as well as live music that includes the island, rock, funk, and reggae band the Fishheads, the rhythm and blues group Front Ro, and High Heel, a band that covers everything from classic rock to country.

ONYX Automotive general manager

Scott Sutton is proud of the company’s sponsorship of the festival, which is in its third year of involvement, and sees it as an opportunity to showcase just what ONYX delivers.

Noting that the festival is a natural fit for the company, he explained that wine is also something ONYX customers love and appreciate. “The demographic works well with our clients and the interests we see in our dealerships,” he said. “It’s about lifestyle, and the festival appeals to our existing customer base. One of the things that we enjoy doing is to present our own wine, a handcrafted California cabernet branded for us in an etched bottle, to new car owners. It’s a little more elegant and something special for our clients. It’s a nice, little memento—people send us photos enjoying their bottles and raising a toast.”

Wine, of course, is the second anchor of the weekend’s festivities. Chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, merlot, and rosé, predominantly from Nebraska and Iowa, are all showcased as well as more offerings from other parts of the country. Regional wine producers include vineyards like Niobrara Valley, Prairie Creek, Glacial Till, Broken Arrow Cellars, Rich Harvest, James Arthur, Nissen Wine, Soaring Wings, and Little Swan Lake. Big names, too, enter the weekend with Clos du Bois and Lamarca Prosecco featured on the tasting roster.

Mike Mancuso, event manager and president of Mid-America Expositions, said the goal behind founding the festival was simple. “We wanted to put together an event to showcase local wines. When we started, there were about seven wineries in Nebraska. Now, here we are 17 years later, and there are more than 20. It just continues to grow.”

Mancuso added the number is even higher when adding wines from Iowa, South Dakota, and other parts of the country. “Usually, you can taste wines from over 60 wineries. It’s one of the largest wine festivals in the state. It’s perfect for young wine drinkers just getting started to more experienced oenophiles. And there is also beer and other beverages for those who don’t drink wine.” air balloons.” To create the glow, the pilots ignite their burners simultaneously, which makes the balloons light up against the inky black skies and the reflection of the Lawrence Youngman Lake. The pilots then make the balloons “dance” by igniting the burners, with the band firing up the stage to prep for the hot air balloons’ ascension.

Mancuso said ONYX lends a special experience to the event. “As a luxury car dealership, they’re a great fit for wine drinkers. You’re really close to the field in the ONYX VIP area. Weather permitting, you can get really close and talk to the pilots.”

The event organizer is looking forward to seeing the crowds turn out this year. “It’s just a really neat experience,” Mancuso said. “When you see those balloons with their colorful designs inflated, they’re so huge. It’s almost romantic.”

Ticket prices start at $17, which includes admission for one person, a souvenir wine glass, and five wine-tasting tickets, and go up to $50 for VIP packages, which cover admission for two people, souvenir wine glasses, 10 tasting tickets, and access to the ONYX Automotive VIP area. Helicopter rides, reserved tables, and food and wine experiences with Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Outback Steakhouse, and WineStyles are also on offer throughout the weekend.

Nebraska Wine & Balloon Festival

Ta-Ha-Zouka Park (Southwest of 204th and Maple streets), Elkhorn, Nebraska

Friday, August 18, 5 to 11 pm; Saturday, August 19, 3 to 11 pm.

Advance admission and wine tasting ticket package $17 ($21 at the gate)

General admission the gate: $15; children 5 to 12: $8; children under 5: free)

“The last couple of years we had four cars—BMWs, Land Rovers, and Jaguars—they receive a lot of attention from the crowds,” Sutton said. “They are very beautiful, very attractive, and very luxurious cars. Our customers really enjoy it.”

Balloons launch both Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 pm and, when inflated to their full seven-story height, are a sight to behold. First, the pilots and crews spread the multicolored canopies across the grass and connect them to the gondolas before inflating and igniting the burners, which force hot blasts of air into the canopies—hence “hot

Food and wine experience packages, VIP packages, and helicopter rides are also available.

For more information, visit showofficeonline.com/NebraskaWineBalloon and onyxautomotive.com.