Countywide : Hot-Air Balloon Event Moves to Chino Hills

Expressing concern about flight restrictions and other limitations, organizers of Smith’s Balloon Festival have decided to move the event from Tustin Ranch in Orange County to Chino Hills in San Bernardino County.

The festival, which debuted last fall on property owned by the Irvine Co., drew more than 102,000 spectators who watched mass ascensions of colorful hot-air balloons and heard concerts by Randy Travis, the Beach Boys, America and other musical groups.

This year’s festival, billed as the largest such event on the West Coast, is scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 at Prado Regional Park.

“It’s easier to fly out of there,” Terri Florio, balloon festival director, said Tuesday from the event office in Irvine. In Orange County, Florio said, “we had three airports to worry about, and the mountains. We couldn’t fly very long or very far.”

Another advantage of the Prado site is that the public will be able to take rides in the hot-air balloons. Organizers wanted to offer balloon rides at Tustin Ranch, Florio said, but were discouraged from doing so by the Irvine Co. and the city of Tustin.

The Chino Hills site will also offer more on-site parking, Florio said. Last year, festival organizers had to change their parking plans at the last minute when concerns were raised about disturbing the habitat of the California gnatcatcher, a small songbird listed as a threatened species.

In addition, organizers had to contend with Tustin Ranch residents concerned about traffic, noise, litter and possible safety problems generated by the three-day balloon festival.

Florio said this year’s festival is expected to draw at least as many spectators as the inaugural event. About 100 hot-air balloons will be at the festival, Florio said, including one shaped like a purple dragon and another depicting a witch on a broomstick.

There will also be live music, a chili cook-off, carnival rides and children’s activities.