Poor weather keeps balloons grounded in Battle Creek

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – People in Calhoun County are watching the skies, waiting for the rain to let up since they're trying to host a hot-air balloon competition.

Once again, rain on Friday morning kept balloons on the ground at the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship. Balloonists were able to get up for one task Thursday evening, but the weather doesn't look like it will cooperate for the rest of the weekend.

Battle Creek has seen some wet days recently, with some poorly timed rain coinciding with one of the largest hot air balloon competitions coming to town. The event has been an almost complete wash out.

"You know when you fly, it's like the earth leaves you," said Al Nels.

Nels is one of nearly 70 competitors from across the country who have come to Battle Creek for the city's first shot at hosting the U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championships.

Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperative, and about the only thing in the sky has been rain as it falls to earth.

"It's just the precipitation right now," said Derrick Jones, event organizer. "You know we're really hoping for a break in the weather tonight for flight and tomorrow morning looks pretty decent.

So far, the balloonists have had only one break in the weather and the balloons have spent most of their time on the ground. The launch site at Kellogg Community College has gone from green field to mud as the pilots grow increasingly antsy.

"We come to these events to fly, not sit in hotel rooms," said Nels.

According to the Calhoun County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the rain clouds have not dampened the economic impact of the event.

On average it costs pilots and crews several thousand dollars to come to these events.

"Probably their social economic strata is a little higher, and they spend money," said Dwight Butt, of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "They do spend, and that means a lot for tourism in the community."

Even if the balloons remain grounded, the event may have given the local economy a much needed lift.

"In my mind it's a success," said Butt.

It could be some time before anyone knows exactly how much money the event has brought to Battle Creek.

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Weather makes for ideal conditions at Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival

LINCOLN -- Sunshine and cool temperatures Saturday made for a perfect day for art and hot air balloon enthusiasts attending the Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival.

While only a handful of balloons were able to launch Friday night, on Saturday early morning festival goers were able to see the balloons fly into the Logan County Airport. One of those enjoying the view from the sky was Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder, who received a "great surprise" when he was asked early Saturday morning to help crew and then ride in the "Travelin Lite" balloon piloted by Max Mitchell, the only pilot who has flown in each of the balloon festival's 21 years.

The view of Lincoln from a hot air balloon is "beautiful," according to Snyder, who described the scenery as "green fields" and "lots of trees."

A few hours later, with his feet firmly planted on a street near Latham Park, Snyder helped cut the ribbon to open the festival. Art enthusiasts then filled the sidewalks to view what Art Festival Co-Coordinator, Marty Ahrends described as a diverse mixture of art -- including stained glass, pottery, photography and even spray paint art.

At Cindy and Kirby Pringle's "Dogtown Artworks" booth, art lovers were treated to humorous "dog-people photographs." The husband-and-wife team combines photos of their two dogs, Barney and Buster, with those of human models, creating "dog people."

The idea began seven years ago, when Cindy took a photo of Kirby Pringle dressed in his bathrobe. She then replaced his head in the photo, with a photo of the head of their dog, and made it into a greeting card.

"I looked better with a dog head, so we kept it up," he said. After selling hand-colored black and white photos for many years prior to that, "our business went to the dogs," Cindy said.

Many of the photos feature Buster, a white boxer, with various items in his mouth--like ice cream cones, wax lips, fish, and spaghetti. Buster, known by the name Earl in the Pringles' works, has "great self-control," according to Kirby, and doesn't eat the items used in the photographs.

The Pringles are also selling two books featuring the dogs, aimed at adults and children. In one book, Barney, their boxer-mix who portrays Pearl, has to work hard to overcome an addiction to her bone phone and iPaw.

Besides laughing over the adventures of Earl and Pearl, children attending the Art Festival can create something of their own at the Children's Art Fair. For a $5 fee, options include tie-dye, making a 3-D hot air balloon or creating a food art project.

The hot air balloon activities concluded Saturday, but the art fair continues Sunday.

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Bad weather deflates revenues, instigates confusion at Jackson Hot Air Jubilee

Organizers of this year's Jackson Hot Air Jubilee say inclement weather conditions made for one of the roughest weekends in the event's history.

Although board members budgeted for their lowest revenues from ticket sales in years — $75,000 — jubilee treasurer Andy Walz said after Sunday's launch that he expected totals closer to $50,000.

"It's the worst weekend we've ever had," Walz said.

Inclement weather forced organizers to cancel the jubilee's Friday evening launch, as well as morning and evening flights on Saturday.

The cancellations resulted in some confusion when pilots finally ascended Sunday.

There was a shortage of crew members around to offer pilots a helping hand, and a large group of sponsors sought rides, but there was not enough balloon space to accommodate them all.

"Everything they get, right there on the ticket, says rides are not guaranteed," said board member Jeff Spry, explaining the risk of bad weather. "I think for some (crew members), it's gotten old; it's like, 'I keep showing up and nothing happens.' "

Board members decided in advance not to charge spectators for Sunday morning admission because the event ended right after the balloons took off. They didn't anticipate that would be the only flight.

Out along the runways Sunday morning, claps and cheers sounded as pilots ascended into the sky.

Roger Dennis, who came to Jackson on Friday night from Montpelier, Ind., stood watching the display with a camera in hand.

Dennis said he remained in town through the weekend to support the jubilee, as he does with many other flight events around the Midwest.

"Hot air balloon shows — if you see one or two (flights) in a weekend, you're lucky," he said. "You just gotta learn to go with the flow."

Dennis said he's been coming to Jackson's event for years. Many of the ballooning events in Indiana and Ohio were canceled this summer due to struggles with ticket sales and other funding sources, he said.

Dennis said he sees value in keeping the tradition alive.

"There's so many good people in this country; they're just discouraged right now," he said, positioning his camera toward the sky. "You just don't see a lot of sad people out here. That's what's good."

Brooklyn resident Renee Merchant has been coming to the jubilee for more than 25 years with her husband, Dick. The two have participated as chase crew members in the past but took a break this summer.

Merchant stood watching the balloons, her jacket dotted with several jubilee pins she purchased over the weekend.

She recalled flying with pilots in previous years and watching families out walking or going to get their morning paper.

"You drift quietly when you are not burning (the lamp), and people wave at you," she said. "You sneak up on them."

Walz said board members now can step back and re-evaluate what they did right.

Though many community members were concerned the festival was getting too large, he said the added attractions — such as an exotic animals display, laser tag, and a pyrotechnics airshow — are what kept people around when balloons couldn't launch.

Although bad weather was detrimental, Walz said, canceling the Friday night glow and not giving out as many pilot prizes due to canceled competitions will save money.

Spry said the advertising provided for sponsors went well. Some sponsors were so happy with the community exposure they got that they already talked of committing again next year, he said.

Jubilee organizers aren't ready to give up hope.

"It will be interesting when we put it all together to see where we all stand," Walz said. "I think we are all optimistic; the biggest problem of course will be paying our bills."

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