ROMP bringing hot-air balloons to festival

Keith Lawrence, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Jun. 5—ROMP is bringing something new to its 19th annual June 22-25 festival at Yellow Creek Park.

Hot-air balloons.

"We're working with Aerial Advantage, a hot-air balloon company is Columbia, Missouri," Carly Smith, curator for the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum, said last week. "They're bringing in three balloons. It's something new for people to do."

The company is offering tethered rides up to 30 feet above the crowd for $25, she said.

Smith said a private ride for two is $75.

The balloons will be located behind the stage, she said.

"And at dusk, they'll do a balloon glow," Smith said. "It's going to be a great addition."

This will be the first time balloons have been featured at the festival, she said.

Smith said people can pre-book balloon flights at ROMPfest.com, under "info."

She said the rides will be on Friday and Saturday of that week.

"They're coming in on Thursday, and if the weather is looking bad either Friday or Saturday, they'll go up on Thursday," Smith said.

She said ROMP has had a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in Paducah onsite during the festival for several years.

Smith said ticket sales for the festival are strong this year.

"We're at 90% of where we were in 2019, and that was our second-largest crowd," she said.

The festival was canceled by COVID in 2020 and was moved to September last year.

"Moving it back to June means kids are out of school and more people are traveling," Smith said. "People plan their vacations around ROMP."

Things are returning to normal this year, she said.

Smith said, "We're bringing back the children's activities and the artists' workshops this year."

The lineup features the Punch Brothers, Leftover Salmon, Dan Tyminski Band, The Gibson Brothers, The Quebe Sisters, the Del McCoury Band, Rhiannon Giddens, We Banjo 3, Cole Chaney & Wolfpen Branch, East Nash Grass, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Tommy Emmanuel, Steep Canyon Rangers, The SteelDrivers, Lindsay Lou, The Po' Ramblin' Boys and Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road.

The Jagoe Homes After Party Stage, which starts around midnight each day, will feature Brennen Leigh and Theo & Brenna Band, the Hackensaw Boys and Dark Moon Hollow, Wolfpen Branch and Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley.

Tickets are $215 for all four days or $40 for June 22, $85 for June 23, $95 for June 24 and $100 for June 25.

Keith Lawrence, 270-691-7301, klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com