Today, I got to check something off my bucket list when I took a magnificent flight in a hot air balloon!! I had to get up at 4:30AM... but it was totally worth it. Check out the video I filmed with the Plano Television Network below!!
This weekend marks the annual Plano Balloon Festival when over 50 magnificent, colorful, hot air balloons take to the sky! Fun for all ages, are the Special Shapes that attend the festival. The featured Special Shapes for this year include: Cosmos, Joelly the Little Bee (pictured above), Annie the Lady Bug, Spunky the Skunk, Betty & Jim, Little Pirate, and the always popular High Jack.
For the adventurous, the RE/MAX parachute team will perform Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons at 5:30pm by jumping from their plane over the park and landing right in the middle of the launch field. Saturday evening catch the BOOM, BANG, and SIGHT of the spectacular Fireworks. The Festival fireworks show is custom designed and orchestrated by Pyrotex providing an amazing array of colors in the night sky.
Kids can enjoy fun and interactive inflatable rides, climb the Rock Wall and race through the obstacle course. Be sure to check out the “Toddler Zone.” Designed with young toddlers in mind, they can experience the fun of inflatables that are just their size. Make sure and check out the 100 antique pre 1930 and classic pre 1972 cars and trucks on display Saturday from 10:00AM - 4:00PM on the balloon launch field. The Morning Maniacs, a group of classic car, truck and motorcycle enthusiasts, who support each other with tips, knowledge, and shop talk will be on hand with their custom cars to share their stories.
About a minute into this video I asked the pilot, "How high are we going to go?" to which he responded, "Not high.". Well, let me tell you, we climbed to 290 feet with is about 29 stories and when you are standing in a reed basket that is 6x6 and not strapped to anything... it feels REAL high! You can tell by the grin on my face that I was like a little kid at Christmas. I had the BEST time waving at the people on the ground and really being in the zen-moment of floating along the Dallas skyline. It was a wonderful experience!
The festival will run today through Sunday and takes place at Oak Point Park which is located at 2801 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, Texas 75074. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at http://www.planoballoonfest.org/event-information/tickets
Special thanks to the City of Plano, the Plano Television Network and pilots Michael and Becky Marx of the Fired Up Too! for the opportunity to work with them on this project.
