July 26-28 2019
Solberg Airport - Readington, NJ 973-882-5464Countdown to Festival Fun
Until the 2018
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Quick Chek New Jersey
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Festival of Ballooning!
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January is a historic month in the world of ballooning!
Jan. 7, 1785 --- Jean-Pierre Blanchard flies a balloon over the English Channel
Jan. 9, 1793 --- Blanchard makes the first successful hot air balloon flight in North America, flying over the Delaware River from Philadelphia, PA and landing in Deptford Township, NJ.
Jan. 15, 1991 --- The first hot air balloon to cross the Pacific Ocean takes off from Japan and eventually lands in Canada.
Jan. 19, 1784 --- The largest hot air balloon ever made by the Montgolfier Brothers --- 700,000 cubic feet --- ascends from Lyon, France.
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Ballooning Now!
You can be part of history in 2019 when the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank celebrates its 37th anniversary, July 26-27-28 at Solberg Airport in Readington, NJ.
The Festival wasn’t a festival when it started. Flamboyant millionaire adventurer Malcolm Forbes, newspaper publisher Tom Curley, Bill Lewis and friends brought 10 balloons to a local truck stop on Route 78 as a weekend gathering of balloon enthusiasts in 1983.
Lewis grew that first get-together into an annual festival, attracting 40 balloons and 40,000 people over a 10-year period and moving it to Solberg Airport. Looking to take what had become the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning to the next level, he sold the event to Howard Freeman and John Korff in 1993, who were looking for a showcase event to build around the Garden State.
Experts in promoting live events, they brought in more balloons and more attractions with an emphasis on affordable family entertainment. Live concerts were added.
Today, the 37th annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC Bank is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. It is truly a must on anyone’s Summer list of things to do --- more than 100 sport and special
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shaped hot air balloons will take to the skies twice each day in mass ascensions over the scenic Hunterdon County countryside. Upwards of 170,000 people and media outlets from around the world are expected at the Festival in 2019.
Look for future newsletters to learn more about the history of the Festival, our plans for our 37th anniversary, and how you can be a part of our celebrating 37 years of affordable family fun including opportunities for you to go up, up and away on a magic carpet ride in the sky.
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Ballooning Then: The History Of Balloon Flight!