(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated with specific ticket information, including that children under age 12 — not under age 6 — are free as long as they are accompanied by a ticket-holder.)
SEQUIM — Colorful hot air balloons will start arriving today for this weekend’s inaugural Sequim Balloon Festival.
The towering, several-story aircraft are scheduled to be taking off from Sequim Valley Airport every morning at 6 a.m. through Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 3.
Spaces on the balloons — most can carry four passengers, although at least one will hold more — are filling up fast.
For those who want to ride, and who have the $250 fee, there are several options for attempting to get aboard.
It’s possible to sign up online at www.sequimballoonfestival.com, which has all the information about the three-day festival that begins Saturday.
But for a faster response, organizers said, email hazel@brokersgroup.com, to get on the list of reserved balloon rides.
When you send your request, you must include your name, phone number and weight.
That last information is needed because the passenger space in balloon baskets is limited and weight determines the number of passengers per flight.
Once you send your information, you will be contacted about your schedule availability vs. the schedule of rides.
The entire amount of the $250 fee goes directly to the pilot of the balloon to help defray travel expense, maintenance costs, insurance and propane.
The other way to possibly get a ride is to do it on standby.
If you are adventuresome, you can come to the Sequim Valley Airport before the morning launches at 6 a.m. starting today through Monday, Sept. 3.
You must be ready to pay the $250 cost of the ride by cash or check at that time.
All balloon flights are subject to weather cancellations. Balloons fly early because winds are typically lighter that time of day.
Balloons do not launch in winds greater than 12 mph or if winds might reach that speed during the flight, if the cloud ceiling is less than 1,000 feet, or if it is raining.
Tickets for admission to the three-day balloon festival — Saturday, Sunday and Monday — are available at www.brownpapertickets.com as three-day passes for $29, or as a single-day ticket for $19. Children under age 12 are free but must be accompanied by a ticket-holder (the ticketing website erroneously says children 6 and under are free).
The festival, which will feature 12 balloons, including three shaped like bumble bees, will be on Fred and Loretta Grant’s property — Grant Field — adjacent to Purple Haze Lavender Farm and across the street from Black Bear Diner and Holiday Inn Express on the east end of Washington Street in Sequim.
At night, tethered balloons with their burners on will glow next to a reflecting pond, said Randall Tomaras, executive director of the Sequim Balloon Festival.
In addition to two of these “balloon glows” and the mass ascension of balloons, the three-day pass also will provide entrance to 29 hours of music by 17 groups, a children’s play area, three street — or rather, field — dances, arts and crafts vendors, and a beer and wine garden for those 21 and older.
A classic car show will offer more than $10,000 in prizes to exhibitors.
Tomaras and Bret Wirta — chief executive officer of the Sequim Balloon Festival and owner of Holiday Inn Express and Quality Inn Suites in Sequim — organized the balloon festival to give an economic boost in tourism to the Peninsula, Tomaras said.
Ferrellgas, with offices in Sequim and Forks, is a festival sponsor and is supplying free propane for the hot-air balloons.
A link to www.brownpapertickets.com and more information about the festival are on the home page of www.sequimballoonfestival.com.
A pre-event concert by Rare Earth is planned at 7 p.m. Friday on the Sequim Balloon Festival grounds as the opening night event.
Gates will open at 6 p.m.
The Fabulous Johnsons will open for Rare Earth.
Also planned is a surprise guest who will arrive by hot air balloon, weather permitting, according to Global Entertainment promoter Quinn Hampton.
Tickets to Rare Earth concert are sold separately from the festival tickets.
General admission is $25, while youths ages 7 to 14 will get in for $10 and children 6 and younger come free. This is “festival seating” — bring lawn chairs or blankets.
A limited number of $40 VIP/reserved seating tickets also are available; click on www.brownpapertickets.com.
Concert tickets also are on sale in Sequim at 7 Cedars; Purple Haze Lavender Farm and Store; 101 Outpost; Hardy’s Market, Tattoo Guy; and Islander Pizza and Pasta Shack.
In Port Angeles tickets are available at Coog’s Budget CD’s, and in Port Townsend at the Highway 20 Roadhouse.
