THE COUNTDOWN HAS STARTED…………!!
Join the community this Sept. 23 to Sept. 25 as hot air balloons fill the skies of Montague each morning
Photo by Mel Fechter
We are SO excited to bring this amazing event back to Siskiyou County. Between the fires, the heat – we're a little behind in sharing DETAILS (there are a LOT of details). But here is EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW in one place……..and it will be followed by individual posts with even more details!!
First – for people who LIKE and SHARE our posts (the most) – you will be entered into a DRAWING for a 2 hour Hot Air Balloon ride or a 20 minute Helicoptor ride – whichever you choose. (We will also be drawing for CONCERT tickets to "RISE UP SISKIYOU" on Friday & "NIGHT GLOW – ONE COUNTRY" on Saturday / a "dual-line" trick kite / Whiskey & Wine tickets and logo merchandise)…..so SHARE AWAY!!
Dry CAMPSITES are available from Thursday at NOON through Monday @ Noon for $30/night. Reserve your space here:
Mass Ascension of the Balloons will happen @ Hoage Field (see map: ) around 7am Fri / Sat / Sun (weather permitting). This is FREE to the General Public so BYO lawnchair and enjoy the view. We will have LIVE singing of our National Anthem every morning and the Yreka Elks Lodge #1980 will be selling breakfast. As of right now we have EIGHT confirmed balloons….a couple more "maybes"……and YES – Smokey Bear will be here all weekend!!!
◦ Balloon Rides are $350 per person. Call 530-598-8221 to reserve your spot.
◦ Balloon Tethers (An awesome opportunity to get into a Hot Air Ballooon and see the full beauty of the valley. Go straight up and come straight back down) will be offered on Saturday 9/24 ONLY as wind and rain conditions allow. They will be $15/Per Adult (2 @ a time) or $10/Child under 18.
◦ Standing, walking an sitting assistance deices are not permitted.
◦ Passenger weight may not exceed #250 lbs
◦ Passengers must be able to see over the edge of the basket (approx 36" high)
◦ If you want to reserve a specific time please call 530-598-8221 – otherwise it will be first come/first serve
◦ A heated VIP tent will be available for SPONSORS and these two VIP Experience Packages are available here:
◦ Sunrise Package – $400/pp or $800/couple (Limited to 100 people total)
◦ Heated indoor seating on Balloon Launch Field Fri/Sat and Sun 6:00-9:00am
◦ Breakfast & Unlimited Mimosa's served by The Wine Bar each morning
◦ Live Music each morning by Mike Slizewski
◦ VIP Parking passes for the entire weekend – all events
◦ Concert Tickets for both FRI and SAT
◦ Sampler Tickets – Whiskey & Wine
◦ $100 Merchandise Credit
◦ 20 Min Helicopter Ride +$199/pp (20 total available)
◦ Hot Air Balloon Ride – 2 Hours + $350/pp (8 total available)
◦ 4 Nights RV Parking (Dry) – Optional
Friday afternoon @ the Rohrer Field Airport from 12-2 we will offer HANDS ON learning about Fixed Wing Airplanes, Ballooning, Power Paragliding, Helicopters, Professional multi-string Kites and Droning for anyone that wants a closer look. These will be 20 Minute rotations in groups of 15 people. This is a FREE event and students across Siskiyou are especially welcome. If you are a School Administrator – please call 530-598-8221 to make arrangements for your group.
Helicopter Rides will be available throughout the weekend. $199 for 20 min or $75 for 5-7 min. 3 people max with a total weight limit of #500lbs. Call 530-598-8221 to reserve your ride.
RISE UP SISKIYOU (from the ashes) will be the HUGE Friday concert @ the Rodeo Grounds featuring www.buckford.com and Locked-N-Loaded www.lnlband.com! This high energy night with two AMAZING Country Bands from the Bay Area will KICK OFF a weekend of being TOGETHER and having some much needed FUN!!! Buck will play from 6-8 and Locked-N-Loaded will play from 8-11ish (hint: they will sing a little longer if you want them to! ) There will be FOOD TRUCKS, a WINE BAR and both BARS will be open. You WON'T want to miss this!!! A FREE shuttle from Yreka will start at 4pm with stops at the Holiday Inn, Grocery Outlet, Miners Inn and the Wal Mart Parking lot. It will be 2 vehicles making round-trip stops until midnight. Tickets $25/ea and available here:
The CAR SHOW will be at Montague City Hall on Saturday from 8-1. Live Music will be provided by John Abbot and there will be a Montague Pool Fund raffle for a Helicopter or Balloon Ride here. Spectators are complimentary & there will be FOOD TRUCKS as well as a Bar / Wine Tent. (There will be a free "Montague Shuttle Bus" between the Air Show and the Car Show.) Register your car here:
VENDOR spaces for Saturday around the Car Show from 8-3 are STILL AVAILABLE!! $50 each for 12×12. Register here:
The AIR SHOW will be at Rohrer Field Montague Airport on Saturday from 9am – 1pm. We will feature Experimental, Vintage and Fixed Wing airplanes as well as Gliders and Power Paragliders. Spectators are complimentary. There will be live music from 9-1 by Mike Slizeweski. (There will be a free "Montague Shuttle Bus" between the Car Show and the Air Show). FOOD TRUCKS will be available.
The PARADE is FREE and we are looking for Floats / Exhibits / Individual and Group Talent / Equestrian Riders / Vintage and Modern Vehicles / Music / Marching Bands / Dancers / Emergency Vehicles / Business Promotion and anything else you think is FUN!! The Montague Pool Fundraiser Drawing and Parade Winners will be announced immediately following the Parade @ Montague City Hall. Please register here (for planning purposes we need to know who plans to be in the line-up):
Cornhole……..if you know anyone that wants to take this on – we would love to have a little tournament. Please call 530-598-8221 if interested.
Saturday @ 4:00pm – the GATES OPEN at the Rohrer Field Montague Airport for another eve of MUSIC (Yreka locals – River Rock from 4-6pm will be followed from 6-8pm by ONE COUNTRY www.onecountryband.com from Sacramento), FOOD (Food Trucks will be ready to serve you!), Etna Brewing Company will be onsite next to The Wine Bar and the Montague Rotary Bar will also be open. At dusk – the NIGHT GLOW will light the airport tarmack with bursts of flame lighting the balloons!! BYO chair or enjoy the straw bales that will be provided) There will be a free SHUTTLE BUS from Yreka that will start at 5pm with stops at the Holiday Inn, Grocery Outlet, Miners Inn and Wal Mart Parking lot. It will be two busses making round trip stops until 10pm. Kids under 12 are FREE. Tickets are $20/pp and can be purchased here:
Sunday will begin with the Mass Ascension at 7am followed by a Mushball Tournament at Diggle Field from 9-4. (Register for Tournament here: )
At NOON the Kite Fest will begin in downtown Montague at the park across from the Community Center. The show will be put on by the Humboldt Kiters. They will also be performing randomly as weather allows throughout the weekend and watch for more posts soon with additional details about this fun group! If you or your children are specifically interested in Kiting and cannot make the Friday afternoon Interactive time – please call 530-598-8221 for a "special connection" to this sport!! Check out how amazing they are here:
There will be OPEN MIC time @ the Montague Community Hall from 12-3………so if you like to entertain in any way – this is your chance to be seen!!! Please e-mail [email protected] if you plan to show up so we can manage time slots.
If you make incredible PIES or outstanding CHILI – now is your chance to show off!! There will be a judged cook-off with fun prizes. Register here:
The Whiskey & Wine event will be from 12-3 @ the Railroad Museum featuring Denny Bar Co Spirits and wine from the Wine Bar. Tickets are $15 for 4 "Tastes" of either/both so it doesn't matter which one you purchase. Tickets will be available at the door or if you want to pre-purchase – get them here:
The Montague Rotary Club will also have a full Bar available from 12-3pm @ the Montague Community Center.
The 8th Grade Class @ Montague Elementary will be selling Tri-Tip lunches as a Fundraiser from 12-3 @ the Community Center. They are available at the door or you can pre-purchase here:
The free KIDS ZONE will feature two "Bouncy Houses" from Kliers, fun activities coordinated by Youth Empowerment Siskiyou and a "Balloon Painting" event will be offered by Shoppe Serendipity for $5/child. This will be available from Noon-3pm for kids of all ages to enjoy!!
OTHER GENERAL INFO:
◦ Proceeds of this year's event will be used as the "seed money" for a Rotary Youth Sports Park on 8 acres located behind Montague Elementary School. A full-scale model will be available at the "Donation Station"
◦ www.montagueballoonfest.com
◦ Follow us @montagueballoonfest
◦ SPONSORSHIPS are still available for both CONCERTS, the CAMPING area and the KIDS ZONE.
◦ See the map of the event here:
◦ VOLUNTEERS are DESPERATELY needed for lots of things. If you have already reached out – you will be contacted no later than Tuesday. If you would like to help make this tremendous undertaking possible – please e-mail: [email protected]
◦ We will be posting a list of "Things We Need" (ie. Straw bales (you will get them back), megaphone, pop-ups, tables, heaters, etc)
◦ Handicap parking will be available for all venues.
◦ Parking lots will be marked all over town.
◦ Security will be provided by the volunteer Sheriff's Posse
◦ Suggestions / feedback / additional info – please e-mail [email protected]
◦ This is a SMOKE FREE event
◦ Well Behaved pets are welcome at the Balloon Launch, Car Show, Air Show, Parade and in the designated Camping area only.
