Hot Air Balloon Festival still a go this weekend
♦ Winds will depend on the path and speed of Hurricane Florence.
The inaugural Rome Hot Air Balloon Festival Friday and Saturday may ride on winds that stretch to Northwest Georgia from Hurricane Florence. Organizers are pressing forward with last minute plans while keeping an eye on the Atlantic and Hurricane Florence.
“It’s going to be a family-type atmosphere for everyone and hopefully the weather will be good and everyone can have a good time,” said Assistant County Manager Gary Burkhalter.
He is serving as the interim airport manager while the county searches for a replacement for Mike Mathews who left in July.
Perhaps even more than other outdoor festivals in the fall, the Rome Hot Air Balloon Festival is dependent on the weather. The best conditions include a fair sky with wind speeds in the 3- to 5-mile-per-hour range. If the breeze gets up to beyond the 8- to 10-mileper-hour range it is not likely they will be able to fly.
Nikole Listemaa, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, said that as of Wednesday afternoon she feels Friday will be dry with light northwesterly breezes that could get into the 7- to 10-mile-per-hour range.
She’s not as confident about a forecast for Saturday at this point, depending on the potential path and forward speed of Hurricane Florence.
The skies over Rome will come alive with all sorts of shapes and colors this weekend when the Rome Hot Air Balloon Festival comes to Richard B. Russell Airport on Friday and Saturday.
The event will bring dozens of hot air balloons to Rome for those two days and families can enjoy tethered balloon rides, crafts, vendors, kids rides, and even aerial stunts by Tiger Flight Foundation.
Balloons will include the Purple People Eater, Tom & Jerry, Pepe Le Pew, Tweety Bird & Sylvester.
There will also be restored airplanes and helicopters on display from the Museum of Flight.
On both days, the gates open at 1 p.m. followed by craft booths opening at 3 p.m. The Rome Young Marines' flag ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. and tethered balloon rides being at 4:10 p.m. Hot air balloons will lift off at 6:30 p.m. and the balloon glow will start at 8 p.m.
The festival closes each day at 9 p.m. Entry to the festival is $7 in advance which is good for both days. Parking is $10 and is good for both days. VIP parking is $25. Tethered balloon rides are $20 each. There are also family pack tickets (4) for $25.
Tickets are available online at www. eventbrite.com by searching "Rome Hot Air Balloon Festival."
No pets, alcohol, coolers or drones are allowed at the event.