20 hot air balloons descend on Coshocton for festival
COSHOCTON — The Coshocton Hot Air Balloon festival is more than hot air balloons taking to the skies, but the balloons are the main attraction and very dependent on weather.
Due to wind, balloons were unable to launch on Thursday. However, four balloons inflated on the infield of the grandstand track at the Coshocton County Fairgrounds. Attendees were able to talk with pilots and see the balloons up close.
Tethered balloons rides were not possible in the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives balloon either. Pilot Bob Scobee told those in line that he hated to disappoint them, but he also didn't want to see anyone injured.
Scobee has been a pilot 35 years and with the Touchstone balloon about six years. He said the Coshocton festival is one of his favorites because of the people.
"They have an enjoyment they don't hide. It's a genuine group of people who if they enjoy something, they let you know it," Scobee said.
Of the tethered balloon rides, he said it gives a lot of people their first hands-on experience with hot air balloons and some go onto become pilots themselves. The balloon goes up 50 to 100 feet, but Scobee said the height doesn't matter.
"When you're in the balloon at 40 feet looking down, it's going to feel a lot higher than when you're on the ground looking up at it," Scobee said. "But, it's more them just wanting to say they were in a balloon."
Alex Jonard, formerly of West Lafayette, pilots one of the 20 balloons in for the festival. His Zee-Nith is very recognizable with a black falcon on it. He lives in Sycamore, Illinois, now, but said he can't ever miss the hometown festival that got him interested in ballooning in 1985. That first year he served as an observer.
Jonard said he's proud the Coshocton festival is a favorite of many pilots because it's an interesting area to navigate. During competition, pilots fly to a specific spot and drop a marker on a target, to see who can get closest.
"Of the areas we've flown, the terrain here makes it very appealing. I'm west of Chicago and it's flat land," Jonard said. "It's challenging here, but in a good way, in getting into the valleys and following the valleys. It's just a great place to fly."
The kick-off Thursday saw the crowning of the 2022 festival queen. Hailey Tubbs won the honor with Cassadee Woodward Wells as runner-up. Both are 17 years old and from Coshocton.
Tubbs has never done any pageants before, but she's been a fan of the festival since she was young. She would encourage anyone to come for the unique experience.
"As a little girl, walking around, seeing everybody in their pretty sashes, they just really inspired me to stay involved in the community and I want to do that for other little girls too," she said on becoming queen.
The festival wraps Saturday with hopefully a balloon launch, golf ball drop, youth science show, music by the Victorious KayBirds and fireworks.
Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with close to 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: 20 hot air balloons descend on Coshocton for festival
