From Sept. 17 to 20, the Plano Balloon Festival Inc. celebrated its 47th annual festival. With more than 30 different hot-air balloons, this event invites families to spend an evening in the clouds.
Upon walking down the hill leading to the festival, a delicious smell fills the senses. Rows of food stands line the festival grounds, offering a variety of options, from classic fair food to meals. Families walked from booth to booth carrying funnel cakes, turkey legs, sweet lemonade and massive corn dogs.
Jennifer Ho, a local Plano resident, said that the variety of food offered at the festival was the highlight of her day.
“It’s really tiring having to be here in this weather because it’s so hot,” Ho said. “Still, I’m glad they had so much good food. It’s worth walking out here in the sun.”
While some visitors enjoyed the food, others crowded around the main stage to watch day acts perform. On Sept. 19, local IceHouse Band took center stage in the afternoon and delivered a performance that made the festival a party worth dancing to. Singing various styles of music and featuring live instrumentals, the band brought a festive ambience to the gathering. Other featured musical acts included Midtown 10 and the Plano Symphony Orchestra.
The Plano Balloon Festival offered more than just fun for the community, as it also featured booths supporting local organizations, such as the Plano Animal Shelter and Fire Rescue. Caroline Bradshaw, district college and career counselor at Collin College, had the opportunity to hold a tabling session on behalf of the school. Bradshaw said that the event was an important occasion for people to come together and for students to stay informed in their community.
“We give out information to students and anyone interested about our programs and what we offer,” Bradshaw said. “It brings a lot of the community together, it gives that sense of comradery.”
The festival also featured both local and regional business vendors invited to demonstrate their products. Vendors like Carolina Aguilar, owner of local small business Craftystore, have been invited to the festival annually, and consider it a big opportunity because of the number of different customers they receive annually.
Other first-time vendors come from different states to showcase their products and relay their meaning to the community, like Christy Anderson, owner of MyLilyPad, a business situated in Idaho that repurposes damaged books.
“Hopefully we’re showing people that things don’t need to be discarded just because they’re old,” Anderson said. “Plano brings to us a new avenue, that way we can promote our ideas and our products.”
As the sun went down, dozens of hot-air balloons covered the fields. People gathered quickly, hoping to get a glance at the crowd’s favorite balloons, like “Chris P. Bacon,” a smiling pig in blue overalls, and “Kermie,” a bouncing frog leaping from cloud to cloud.
Unfortunately, the balloons were not launched in the evening due to high weather constraints; however, the show did not end. At 7:30 p.m., the hot air balloons were inflated as an expansive magical glow of color engulfed the audience. Cameras and eyes focused on the scene, awed, as the burner flames of the balloons ignited, replacing the setting sun.
Jonathan Garza, a first-time visitor, said that while it was disappointing to be unable to see the balloon launch, it was a fun experience nonetheless.
“I’m from Oklahoma, so it’s my first time visiting,” Garza said. “I wanted to see the balloon [launch], but it’s also really funny getting to see the balloons up close–I mean, look at that huge bear!”
Finally, to end the evening, the festival featured a laser show accompanied by the IceHouse Band. While in previous years the sky had been decorated by fireworks, current weather conditions did not permit it. Even so, the laser show created a new visual experience, upkeeping the tradition.
The Plano Balloon Festival offers an opportunity for students to have fun in their community without having to travel far.
“My only complaint is that the festival only lasts one weekend,” Garza said. “[The festival] will have to be our new family tradition.”