Bystanders gaze, mouths agape as the hot air balloons elevate off the ground and ascend into the morning sky.
“It’s an incredible thing to see,” Christin Tackett said. “Last year my daughter went up in a tethered balloon. I think that was the most memorable part for her.”
Although the hot air balloons were the highlight for some patrons at Kiwanis Club third annual Indiana Balloon Fest, there were a host of other attractions including live music, a variety of food vendors, a corn hole tournament and robotics.
The Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana hosted the Balloon Fest at the Monroe County Fairgrounds from Friday through Sunday.
The theme of this year’s festival was “honoring our heroes.”
“Since the first day of the balloon fest fell on September 11, we wanted to make sure we did something to honor people affected by that tragedy,” said Vanessa McClary, charter president of the local chapter of Kiwanis Club.
During the opening ceremony musicians played “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes before the singing of the national anthem.
On Saturday, patrons gathered to watch and listen to Kiwanis Idol, Indiana Balloon Fest’s singing completion.
Tara Asbury, the winner of the 18-and-under category, received roaring applause after singing a rendition of the James Brown song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”
“Performing is terrifying,” Asbury said. “I just love music. I just go up there and sing.”
Laura Mnayarji, Miss IU and emcee for this year’s Kiwanis Idol, said she really enjoyed hearing all the contestants sing.
“Oh my god, they were so talented,” Mnayarji said. “I’m grateful that I was able to be a part of it.”
In addition to hosting Kiwanis Idol, Mnayarji also hosted the inaugural Kiwanis Balloon Fest Pageant, a beauty pageant.
The car show Saturday showcased more than 20 customized vehicles. The vehicles exhibited included a red 1965 red Ford Mustang, a 1967 beige Chevy Camaro, and a 1941 Chevy pick-up truck with wooden floor planks and a shotgun welded into an ammo box serving as the stick shift.
Sunday featured three new additions to the Indiana Balloon Fest: giant kites, ice sculpting and a BMX bike show.
“These are a few of our additions that adds another element of fun and entertainment to our event,” McClary said.
But for McClary this event is about more than fun and entertainment. It’s about a vision coming to fruition.
“I actually started this event,” McClary said. “It’s something I dreamed of having in our community.”
McClary said the Indiana Balloon Fest provides entertainment to the community while simultaneously raising money for charity.
The funds generated from the Balloon Fest will be used to support Riley Children’s Hospital and the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington.
“Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time,” McClary said. “Every Kiwanis Club is unique to its own community. We do things in our community that we feel impacts our community.”
