Planning underway for 6th Annual Citrus Classic Balloon Festival

April 10, 2013
Santa Paula News

A bucket list adventure for the whole family - the 6th Annual Citrus Classic Balloon Festival - is just around the corner, those attending the March Good Morning Santa Paula learned. The Chamber of Commerce sponsored breakfast meeting was held March 12 at Garman’s Pub in the historic downtown.

Balloon Festival founder and coordinator Carla Edwards said the 2013 event, July 26 and July 27 at Limoneira Soccer Fields, enjoys many supporters. “Probably everybody in this room,” she noted, “is involved in the Citrus Classic in so many ways.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Carla for six years, she’s the driving force,” and Gary Nasalroad said the 2013 event “promises to be bigger and even better than last year.... And last year on Saturday night we had our first ever completely sold out Glow.”

The Glow is featured each evening at dark when - weather permitting - dozens of balloons are slowly inflated and illuminated with the glow from the flame that heats the air to power the globes.  

Nasalroad said, “The glow is a spectacular sight, so many people talk about that for the rest of their lives, it’s just a sight you don’t forget.... And for the first time last year I went up in a balloon; we were so fortunate two good days, two good liftoffs” in the early morning hours.

Another glow is unseen: the shine left on the nonprofits that take part in event and then share in the proceeds. Nasalroad said an afterglow is the benefit to Santa Paula as the event’s host city, a goal of Edwards since she first envisioned the festival.

Santa Paula High School Seniors Scott Black and Josh Garay, both active with the FFA, are Festival interns. Black noted the Sunset Wine Dinner is the largest such event in Ventura County that has been a sellout for the past two years while benefiting Santa Paula Family Resource Center, Santa Clara Valley Hospice/Home Support Group and the FFA.

The festival has food vendors, wine tastings, art and merchandise - much with a ballooning theme, morning hours tethered balloon rides, Ag Alley, Kids Fun Zone, tractor parade and display, skydiving and mini-airshow and much more. “You can discover Downtown Santa Paula” with a free ride on the Fillmore & Western Railway that Black said will take visitors to town on the Saturday of the festival where they can visit attractions such as museums and the murals and grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant.

Nasalroad said, “We anticipate about 400 cars will be featured in the Glow ‘N’ Show Car Show... and the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley has taken on the responsibility of the registration and field activities” of the show, which will benefit the club. Nasalroad noted that show will include “Lamborghinis, great cars from Santa Paula Chevrolet, new concept cars... it’s going to be great!”

The Citrus Classic is one of only three such hot air balloon events in Southern California, a celebration Nasalroad said offers many benefits. “It’s positive publicity for Santa Paula - people visit and then look around our town and like the quaintness of our city. It’s a very unique attraction... where else can you get a parachutist dropping down on the field, hot air balloons, vintage trains, museums and murals? People come to enjoy the balloons and see our heritage,” as well as give a boost to the downtown area and local economy.

Hotel and campground accommodations are sold out well in advance of the festival, which itself does more than $100,000 in spending to stage the event.

Even with the support of service clubs and organizations, Nasalroad said individual volunteers are always needed. “Any time you can give to the festival would be greatly appreciated... it’s a lot of work and we try to make it bigger, better and more pleasing each year.... We encourage you to dream big,” as, noted Nasalroad, “we’ve dreamed big to bring this festival here and we hope to make it a huge success again this year.”

For more information visit the festival website: http://www.citrusclassicballoons.com/





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