Celebration of Flight and Balloon Festival Getting Closer

May will begin with a bouquet of color this year but it won’t be flowers.  Panola County skies will host the 3^rd Annual Celebration of Flight Balloonfest the weekend of May 4-6, 2007.  Twenty beautiful hot air balloons from 5 states arrive for the 5 p.m. Friday evening kick-off glow and musicfest.  Carthage Texas once again welcomes the arrival of crowds for the weekend festivities, all held at the Panola County Airport.  We suggest you grab a lawn chair and head on out to the airport to enjoy the music and balloon show.    

Sharpe Field/Panola County Airport plays host annually to this spectacular event.  Hot air balloons, air planes, live music, crafts, car and bike cruise, tractor show, and machines of all kinds will thrill the young and young at heart!  Tickets are $5 daily with children 6 and under admitted free.  You will want to come and go so we suggest a weekend pass for only $10.  They may be purchased at Panola County Chamber of Commerce or Bobbie’s Health Foods in Carthage.  Proceeds from the event will be used to fund student scholarships at Panola College.

The weekend activities will begin on Friday May 4, at 5 p.m. with the kick off of a live concert and the opening of the food and crafts area.  The hot air balloon glow and tether flights begin at 7 and are followed by East Texas’ own Pure Country at 8 pm.  On Saturday, May 5, events will begin at 7 am with 20 hot air balloons filling the skies as they fly into Panola County Airport. The airplane fly-in and breakfast begins at 9 with introductory airplane rides available throughout the day.  The Tractor Show revs up at 8 am and you don’t want to miss the tractor parade on the airport grounds at 11 am.  While there, join us for lunch and browse our wonderful selection of crafts.  A West End regular rock band, Don’t Kick Katie, will perform from 2-4.  The Car and Bike Cruisers arrive on the scene at 4 and will display their awesome machines until 7.  Pure Country takes the stage at 5 and entertains us until 7.  The hot air balloons will present a glow and offer tethered rides from 7-8 pm.  Following the glow, country music artist Kasey Lansdale entertains the crowd from 8-10 pm.  The celebration wraps up on Sunday morning, May 6, with a final balloon flight and competition beginning at 7 a.m. 

“A festival of this type requires the sponsorship and coordination of many volunteers.  Thanks to the Carthage business community, we are able to bring the hot air balloon festival back to Panola County this year,” said event coordinator Shelley Caraway.  Event volunteers are still needed and we welcome those who would like to participate.  A limited number of craft booths are also available for this year’s event.  No previous knowledge of ballooning is required to act as a crew member so plan to join a balloon team!  To volunteer or for additional information please call 903-693-2042.  Visit the official site at www.carthagetexas.com/balloonfest for a look at last year’s photos and this year’s info.