Take to the skies with Ocean City's first ever hot air balloon festival in summer 2023

Olivia Minzola, Salisbury Daily Times
·2 min read

Escape, first, to the sea and then to the skies with Ocean City's upcoming hot air balloon festival.

Mayor Rick Meehan and City Council members voted March 6 to approve the resort town's new hot air balloon festival. The festival, formerly known as the Chesapeake Balloon Festival in Easton, is aiming to take place during the last weekend in August, from the 25th-27th, according to Tom Perlozzo, Ocean City’s director of tourism and business development.

“We did a little recruiting effort," Perlozzo said. "They were looking to find a new location, and we thought Ocean City was it. There was no money requested by the promoter at this time."

The first Balloons over Sussex drew in 8,000 visitors on Saturday, Sept. 14 and Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019 near Delaware Coastal Business Airport in Georgetown. Songs like "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Slow Ride" cheekily clung to the sky as 11 hot air balloons took flight. Folks could also hop in one of the four tethered balloons for a vertically shorter ride. Those who wished to stay earthbound could step inside a balloon and reminisce of the giant parachutes from middle school gym.

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The hot air balloon festival, which is to be held at Elevate Fields at Seaside Christian Academy in West Ocean City, will offer food and music and consist of tethered balloons, balloon rides and other activities. Unfortunately, the event cannot be held in Ocean City due to the constant high winds and close proximity to the ocean, Meehan explained.

However, an added feature to the festival will be the Balloon Glow display, which will be held at night on the beaches of the resort town.

Meehan spoke in support of the Balloon Glow display.

"The balloon glow is unbelievable," he said. "It's where, at night, they light up the balloons and they're all different figures, different animated characters. It's just absolutely gorgeous. It's something that I think the families downtown on the Boardwalk — they're going to be in awe of this."

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Meehan believes the display is really something special.

"We figured we'd start small this year and see where we can go," Perlozzo said.

Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Ocean City's first ever hot air balloon fest coming this summer