We're quite proud of our Balloonmeister at Carolina BalloonFest. Sam Parks not only oversees all of the balloon pilots and crew and flying activities at our event, but will have just come off serving as Balloonmeister at the very large Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico. That event begins tomorrow and as you can imagine, being responsible for the safe launches of over 500 balloons is a job reserved for the best of the best.
Sam puts that same expertise to work in Statesville. He heads up our local Flying Events Committee, which is comprised of local balloon pilots, crew, and enthusiasts who work to make sure the ballooning part of our festival is a great experience for pilots, crew, and our spectators. Sam became involved in ballooning the way most pilots do....by serving as a member of a chase crew. These are the folks who help get the balloon inflated, then follow it to its landing spot where they help take it down and pack it up, We'll talk more about these folks in a later blog. Sam and his wife Winna live in Statesville and own and operate Parks Heating & Air. Sam is not only a hot air balloon pilot, but flies gas balloons as well. We'll try to keep an eye on Sam as he is at work at Fiesta, but until then here is a picture of Sam the pilot in his balloon, flying at a festival this past weekend in Madisonville, TN. Yes, he's been quite a busy man and will continue to be through the end if October. When you see him at Carolina BalloonFest, give him a smile and thank him for all he does for our community and for representing Statesville so well in the ballooning community around the world.
1 Comment
Theresa Johnson
9/29/2016 07:26:13 am
I love coming to see the beautiful balloons every year and it's nice to see someone who makes it all happen!
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October 2016
On The Breeze ~Festival news about Categories |
Rain or Shine... Carolina BalloonFest is open October 15-17, 2021!
Hot Air Balloon Flights are scheduled twice daily; early morning & late afternoon. All ballooning activities including static display, tethered rides and balloon flights are weather-dependent. The decision to inflate hot air balloons is made just prior to the scheduled ballooning activity. Please note that due to the popularity of our festival, our admissions booths will close when we reach maximum capacity. This is a decision out of our control and made by local law enforcement. Tickets are non-refundable. National Balloon Rally Charities donates a portion of our festival proceeds to other local nonprofits and surrounding community agencies. |
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©2020 National Balloon Rally Charities, Inc. is an incorporated 501(c)(3) charitable organization and all contributions are tax deductible. A portion of proceeds raised through Carolina BalloonFest are distributed to local nonprofit organizations. PO Box 267 ~ Statesville NC 28687
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