Category: Community News

ZOE WHITE CREWS FOR PEG LEG PETE THE PIRATE PARROT

Hot air balloon crew volunteers assist out-of-town pilots at the Plano Balloon Festival. Zoe White is a local resident that signed up in 2019 and was assigned to help with Peg Leg Pete the Pirate Parrot hot air balloon. Zoe is a Plano Senior High School graduate and enjoys sharing photography on her Instagram account SweetAzurePhotos.

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PLANO POLICE PROVIDE ID BRACELETS FOR KIDS AT FESTIVAL GATES

 

Officer Chris Bianez with the Plano Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit discusses the upcoming safety at the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival. If you’re bringing a child to the festival, make sure to get them registered at the gate. They’ll receive an ID bracelet with your cell phone written number on the back.  There will be two Lost Child booths on the festival grounds to help reunite parents with any children who may become separated from their families.

 

“Plano Balloon Festival has something for everyone.  Police and Fire personnel will be on hand for your safety and security. If you get a chance stop by our Crime Prevention Booth. We would love to meet you.”  Officer Chris Bianez

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6TH ANNUAL PLANO PEANUT BUTTER DRIVE

During the month of September the North Texas Food Bank is collecting regular-sized, plastic jars of peanut butter to help spread hope in Collin County. The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival will accept donations at the entrance gates September 20-22, 2019 at Oak Point Park in Plano.  Admission is free for kids 36″ and under and $5 for ages 3-12 years.

The goal this year is for the City of Plano to collect 100,000 pounds of peanut butter. There are over 44,000 food insecure children in Collin County. The NTFB will accept peanut butter alternative donations during the food drive.

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ARTISTS ADD MORE COLOR TO 40TH FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

Local artists will add a splash of more color to our 40th birthday celebration September 20-22 by hosting a “Paint Out” during the three-day weekend. Members of the Plano Art Association, Southwestern Watercolor Society, and Outdoor Painters Society will be painting on-site in a designated tent and they’ll also have pieces on display to browse or buy.

 

“Be on the lookout for easels and brushes, and several professional artists adding more color to the 40th Birthday Celebration at the Plano Balloon Festival 2019.

The Outdoor Painters Society, Plano Art Association, and Southwestern Watercolor Society will be on the fair grounds for an “en plein air” event.  “En Plein Air” is French and, artistically, means painting in the open air.

Artist will have access to the Festival beginning Friday at 4pm.  They will be able to paint throughout the day on Saturday (6am – 10pm) as well.  On Sunday, the artists will meet in a designated area to display and offer their work for sale.  Stop by and meet the artists and cast your vote for the “People’s Choice” award.” — Irma Ward, Outdoor Painters Society, Director of Paint Out Events

Local artists are invited to participate in the paint out event. For information on how to register, contact irmaward99@gmail.com Continue reading “ARTISTS ADD MORE COLOR TO 40TH FESTIVAL CELEBRATION”

SOAR TO LEGACY WEST FOR FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS

If you like to fly where the wind blows then you’ll want to soar to Legacy West on Thursday, September 5th for an uplifting photo in their “Big Sky” balloon! The Plano Balloon Festival team will be on-site to greet and answer questions about the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival coming up September 20-22, 2019. We’ll also be there giving away two free tickets to each person who snaps a selfie between 11:00 a.m. and Noon (limited quantity while they last during this promotional event).

 

The Big Sky Balloon photo op is located directly across from Neighborhood Goods in Legacy West on Windrose Avenue.  Directions and a map with parking garages provide more information for easy access to the location.

 

 

Visit Plano is also giving away an exciting weekend package that includes: a 1-night stay at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Plano/Richardson, 4 tickets to the festival, VIP parking, a $50 restaurant gift card, and a picnic basket full of goodies.

 

InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival Celebrating 40 Years Of Ballooning

CONTEST WINNERS RECEIVE 2019 PHOTOGRAPHER BADGES

Congratulations to the 20 lucky winners selected to receive a 2019 Photographer Badge and parking pass to the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival. The call for entries began August 11 and the drawing was held Monday, August 19 at the Festival Preview in the parking lot of Central Market in Plano.

 

The badge permits unlimited admission throughout the three-day weekend to attend the scheduled activities such as the balloon launch in the mornings and balloon glow in the evenings.  Photographers are also allowed to show their badge and walk onto the field to get shots with their cameras that are so close you can feel the heat of the burners and hear the roar of the crowds.

 

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FESTIVAL PREVIEW & PHOTOGRAPHER BADGE DRAWING

The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is going to inflate a hot air balloon in the parking lot at Central Market in Plano on Monday, August 19 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.  We’re going to be giving away free general admission tickets to the festival so come by and see us!

 

If you’re really into food then you might get hypnotized by Hatch during Hatchsteria happening August 7-20! Central Market is featuring over 200 specialty Hatch-infused goodness around every corner within the store.

 

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INTOUCH CREDIT UNION PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL VOTED BEST OF PLANO

The InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival is honored to be recognized as the Best Event/Festival by the readers of Plano Magazine! After 201,564 votes from online readers the Best of Plano Magazine 2019 winners have been officially announced.

 

The list of nominees for all categories were originally chosen by the Plano Magazine staff and contributors. These nominees were voted on by the public at PlanoMagazine.com to determine the winners with the most votes for each category. Voting was open through May 17 and then closed in preparation for the exciting reveal.

 

This is the third year that the InTouch Credit Union Plano Balloon Festival has been selected as the Best Event/Festival by readers and previously recognized in 2017 and 2018. Plano Magazine invited the Best of Plano to celebrate recently at The District at Willow Bend!

 

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CHARITABLE SPIRITS LIFT UP THE PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL

Throughout the 39 years of producing this annual tradition within North Texas, the Plano Balloon Festival, Inc. has never experienced such a devastating loss.  The Festival is not a large corporate entity, but rather a 501(c)3 non-profit organization led by 13 Board of Directors. The sadness, and significant economic loss, is shared with the 58 local non-profits, 75 vendors, dozens of sponsors, pilots, crew, and more than 5,000 volunteers who were committed to the event.

 

The Festival mission is to produce a family-oriented ballooning event to benefit the community. The objective is to also offer other non-profits an opportunity to assist with the operations of the Festival and raise funds. These agencies work the gates, parking lots, kids fun zone and the races. For their services these non-profits are compensated a portion of the revenue. However, this year they earned no money to apply towards their impactful programs within the community.

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TWENTY-YEAR VOLUNTEER REMEMBERS THE BEST OF THE PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL

In 1998, a hot air balloon came to rest on a quiet street in Murphy, TX. Trevor Laswell was only seven years old and this captured his attention. He expressed his interest in wanting to get involved with ballooning to the pilot, who referred him to crew training at the Plano balloon festival. That same year, Laswell took his first ride in a balloon with Suzanne and Don Smith in their balloon Hours Stars. Laswell’s father, Steve Laswell, was the festival’s volunteer coordinator at the time helped get the young Laswell involved.

 

Laswell has been involved with the Plano Balloon Festival for 20 years, most recently serving on the balloon operations team, which ensures the safety of the pilots and spectators and assists with all the details of the actual balloons. He’s come a long way since he was seven. Continue reading “TWENTY-YEAR VOLUNTEER REMEMBERS THE BEST OF THE PLANO BALLOON FESTIVAL”