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City plans hot air balloon festival
Saturday, June 17 at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park
Hot air balloon Ceres
Ceres city officials are planning to introduce a new event this summer to draw visitors to Ceres: a hot air balloon festival staged at the Ceres River Bluff Regional Park. The Modesto Airport must sign off on a temporary closure, however.

City officials believe they have found a way to draw positive attention to Ceres with a “Sky’s the Limit” hot air balloon festival, set for Saturday, June 17 at Ceres River Bluff Regional Park on Hatch Road. On Monday the Ceres City Council gave its blessings to the event and allocated $10,000 of ARPA funding to jumpstart it with the hopes of spurring interest in Ceres and boosting local sales from those visiting out of town.

The concept for the Ceres Hot Air Balloon Festival, “Sky’s the Limit,” was introduced on Monday although city officials have not fleshed out all the details – or yet to receive formal approval from the nearby Modesto Airport.

Economic Development Manager Tamra Spade said the annual family-friendly community event would be the only festival of its kind in the Valley since Ripon cancelled its balloon festival. Plans are to run the free-of-charge festival from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. with an opening ceremony and Chamber ribbon cutting, a balloon launch from the soccer fields, Lions Club pancake breakfast, arts and crafts vendors, a carnival for kids and bands playing live music. Spade feels the event would draw people from all over to Ceres where they would purchase gas, shop in stores, stay in hotels and eat in Ceres restaurants.

The plan is to launch seven to 10 balloons early, likely between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. – if Modesto Airport officials give their approval to closing off air traffic given that the park is beneath the approach zone for planes landing across the river. The public will not be allowed to ride on the balloons, said Spade, who was also uncertain about tethered balloon rides.

“As we go out and do fundraising and for sponsorships most of the time they will give sponsors rides but they cannot sell tickets or give the public rides,” Spade told the council.

She added that the public should be dazzled by just a view of the balloons.

The ARPA funds would be used on expenses to get balloonists to Ceres, as well as portable restrooms, security and bands.

When asked by Councilman James Casey on Monday if the airport have given its approval, Spade answered: “We have filed all the appropriate paperwork and we are just waiting to hear back from the but I’ve met with them multiple times and the airport manager’s told me that he doesn’t see it being an issue. It will be just defining the length of time that the air space will be closed.”

Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra wondered about the limited parking for the event and was told the city is considering overflow parking at the Ceres Community Center and maybe at the former Walmart store parking lot and shuttling visitors to and from the event.