SEQUIM — Tickets are on sale now for the inaugural Sequim Balloon Festival, set Sept. 1-3, and those buying early can get a discount.
“For a limited time, you can save 65 percent on a three-day pass thanks to Sherry Siegel of BrokersGroup” Real Estate Professionals of Sequim, said Randall Tomaras, executive director of the Sequim Balloon Festival.
Siegel bought 1,000 tickets — which are $29 online — for $19, “and she is passing the savings on to you,” Tomaras said.
Twelve balloons — including three special-shaped balloons — are scheduled to arrive at the festival, which will take place on Fred and Loretta Grant’s property adjacent to Purple Haze Lavender Farm and across the street from Black Bear Diner and Holiday Inn Express.
At night, tethered balloons with their burners on will glow next to a reflecting pond, Tomaras said.
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, “so you are bound to see some outstanding cars,” Tomaras said.
He hopes to see 10,000 people or more attend.
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.
Said Siegel: “I just believe so much in what Randy is trying to do to bring the various communities of the Olympic Peninsula together that I felt it was important to offer the community a way to experience the balloon festival at a reduced rate.”
Ticket are available for $19 throughout the North Olympic Peninsula until they sell out.
In Sequim, they are at BrokersGroup Real Estate Professionals, 219 W. Washington St.; Castell Insurance, 426 E. Washington; Dairy Queen, 720 W. Washington; Dungeness Bay Wine & Cheese, 123 E. Washington; First Federal, 333 N. Sequim Ave. and 1201 W. Washington; Islander Pizza & Pasta Shack, 380 E. Washington; 101 Outpost Chevron gas station, 822 E. Washington; Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington; Sequim Chamber of Commerce, 1192 E. Washington; and Wind Rose Cellars, 155 W. Cedar St., Suite B.
In Port Angeles, tickets are at First Federal, 141 W. First St., 1603 E. First St. and 227 E. Sixth St.; and at Port Book and News, 104 E. First St.
In Port Townsend, they are available at First Federal, 1312 Sims Way; and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, 440 12th St.
In Forks, tickets are at First Federal at 131 Calawah Way.
Tickets also can be purchased online for $29 through Brown Paper Tickets. A link, and more information about the festival, is on the home page of www.sequimballoonfestival.com.
A pre-event concert by Rare Earth is planned Aug. 31 as the opening night event for the festival.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. concert on the Sequim Balloon Festival grounds are sold separately.
General admission is $25, while youths ages 7 to 14 will get in for $10 and children 6 and younger come free. VIP seating and reserved seating also are available at www.BrownPaperTickets.com.
