Hot air balloons prepare to fill Muskogee skies

Aug. 25—Hot air balloon crew member Dena Wilson recalls picking leaves from the top of trees while aloft.

"It truly is like standing on a balcony, it's peaceful, beautiful," the Checotah resident said. "The pilot I crew with likes to treetop."

Thirty hot air balloons are expected to glow and lift above the trees during the Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning, Friday through Sunday at Hatbox Field. Friday and Saturday evening events feature food trucks, concerts, a kids' zone, fireworks displays and — weather permitting — tethered balloon rides and a glowing display of inflated balloons. Balloonists compete at 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday if weather permits.

Wilson said she and her husband have worked on hot air balloon crews for 20 years, including recent events in Muskogee.

"It's a fun experience and a lot of work at the same time," she said. "It's a matter of getting the basket out and putting all the pieces of it together. Laying out the envelope, which is what the top part of the balloon is called. You cold inflate that with a fan, and when it gets cold inflated enough, the pilot puts heat into it and you stand it up."

Small balloons take only a few minutes, she said. Larger balloons with 15-person crews take up to an hour.

She said the work is hard and hot.

"When it's 100 degrees, and you add the heat of the balloon to 130 degrees," she said. "You have to love it to endure it."

Wilson said surgery will keep her on the ground this year. However, she said she expects to help out at a table, doing tickets for tethered balloon rides.

Muskogee Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wilkerson said admission for evening events is $10 per vehicle. People must enter from the south entrance on Border Avenue.

"We have volunteers working with us to make sure the traffic gets in more smoothly," Wilkerson said. "Get everybody in quick, so we won't have lines of people trying to get in."

Even more excitement happens Saturday and Sunday morning when the balloonists compete, Wilkerson said.

"They're competing in the Oklahoma State Championship in Ballooning for a trophy and prize money," he said. "It's a lot of fun. In the mornings, it's free. There's no parking fee. There's plenty of room. The mornings are cool temperature-wise. It's really interesting to watch."

Weather permitting, balloonists go up and compete in games. They include a Hare and Hound, in which one balloon takes off and other balloons try to fly to it and drop a marker onto a target.

"We still want people to come at night with the balloon glow," Wilkerson said. "Skydivers will jump in with the American flag each night."

Tethered balloon rides will be available at $20 each and helicopter rides will be $40, he said

About 8,000 came to the balloon festival in 2021, Wilkerson said. Twelve food vendors also have signed up this year. Wilkerson said there were only six in 2021.

Okemah singer-songwriter John Fullbright will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Billboard-charting saxophonist Grady Nichols and his band will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday.

If you go

WHAT: Oklahoma Festival of Ballooning.

WHEN: Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

WHERE: Hatbox Field, enter at 4000 S. Border Ave.

ADMISSION: $10 per vehicle.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

—5 p.m. — Festival opens to the public; food truck and beverage, kids' zone, helicopter rides, vendors.

—6 p.m. — Balloon activities begin; mass ascension.

—6:45 p.m. — National anthem and flag jump.

—7 p.m. — Balloon tethered balloon rides begin.

—7:30 p.m. — John Fullbright on the Firstar Bank Festival Stage.

—8 p.m. — Balloon glow.

—9 p.m. — Fireworks finale.

SATURDAY

—7 a.m. — Balloon activities, competition flying.

—7:30 a.m. — Up, Up and Away 5-K Run.

—9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Hatbox Field closed.

—5 p.m. — Festival opens to the public. Food trucks and beverage, kids' zone, helicopter rides, vendors.

—6 p.m. — Balloon activities begin; mass ascension.

—6:45 p.m. — National anthem and flag jump.

—7 p.m. — Balloon tethered balloon rides begin.

—7:30 p.m. — Grady Nichols Band on the Firstar Bank Festival Stage.

—8 p.m. — Balloon glow.

—9 p.m. — Fireworks finale.

SUNDAY

—7 a.m. — Balloon activities and competition begin.