Balloons to Fill Area Skies for During Festival

At least 60 colorful hot air balloons will soar into San Diego skies this weekend when Carmel Mountain Ranch celebrates its Hot Air Balloon Festival, one of the largest ever held in Southern California, according to the event’s organizers.

“It will be one of the most spectacular events for the public to watch as we have organized the balloon events so that many of the 60 balloons will be airborne at the same time,” balloonist Hans Petermann), who is coordinating the event, said.

“It is unusual to get so many balloons together at one time. They’ll be coming from all over Southern California and the Southwestern United States to compete for $8,000 in cash plus prizes over the two-day event.”

The entire event, including live entertainment, an international food festival and an arts and crafts fair, along with a crafts auction, is jointly sponsored by the Visiting Nurse Assn. of San Diego County, Inc., San Diego’s largest and oldest nonprofit home health care agency, and Carmel Mountain Ranch. Proceeds from the $3 parking charge and food concessions will benefit VNA. Otherwise, admission is free.

Three ballooning races will be held both today and Sunday morning. Two flights of 30 balloons will follow a “chase” balloon, which drops a marker that the other balloons drift over and drop bean bags on. Balloonists accumulate points based on how close their bean bags are dropped to the marker.

Also included for the weekend, a sunset concert by the Mar Dels--a band that plays rock music from the 50s and 60s--a celebrity backyard barbecue, a demonstration by golf trick-shot artist Wedgie Winchester.