Calendar

West

February
2 & 23 Oakland, California
Safety Seminar, BFA Back to Basics and FAA Wings.Two dates to choose from. $50. Contact Balloon Excelsior, 1241 High Street, Oakland, CA 94601, (510) 261-4222.
March
15 Palo Alto, California
Safety Seminar hosted by the Pacific Coast Aeronauts. Deke Sonnichsen, John Terry, Trimble, NWS, Gary Rominger, Gale Stroble and more. $20 pilots, $10 crew. Contact Larry Seiler (408) 383-2610 days or e-mail: larry_seiler@ltx-tr.com
April
11-13 Indio, California
Event to be held from polo field in Indio. Competition, parties, hotel and propane. Contact Sally Sudderth, Rt 1 Box 630-S, Anthony, NM 88021. (915) 877-4063. e-mail: hotair@www.tnis.net.
June
26-29 Windsor, California
Sonoma County's 9th Annual Hot Air Balloon Classic. Fly the wine country. Contact Denise Gilseth, PO Box 819, Windsor, CA. (707) 528-2332.

Southwest

July
25-27 Mesquite, Texas
Mesquite Balloon Festival. 50 balloons, $6,000 prize money. Contact Greg Thompson, 3308 Fairway Dr, Moore, OK 73160. (405) 794-4668.
August
1-3 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Hot Air Balloon Championship; 100 balloons, $6,000 prize money, key grab. Contact Greg Thompson, 3308 Fairway Dr, Moore, OK 73160, (405) 794-4668.
8-10 Oklahoma City, OK
2nd Annual Balloonfest '97, 65 balloons. Plus Special Shapes. Funds to: Oklahoma City Food Bank, contact Lynn Harris, RE/MAX, 8604 Rayburn, OKC, OK 73149. (405) 631-0117 (h).

Southeast

February
1-2 Charlotte, North Carolina
Carolina's Balloon Association Safety Seminar. Contact Gary LaMunion, 9617 Kingsford Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606. (919) 362-9742 or e-mail: habpilot@interpath.com.
22 Lakeland, Florida
Balloon Safety Seminar. For more information contact Mark Roberson, 11475 Rocket Blvd, Orlando, FL 32824 or call 407-438-4488 or call Bill Whidden 407-870-0031.
March
21-23 Macon, Georgia
15th Cherry Blossom Festival and BellSouth Mobility Balloon Fest. 37 balloons Contact Sally McLemore, Cherry Blossom Festival, 794 Cherry St., Macon, GA 31201, (912) 751-7429.
April
5-6 DeLand, Florida
13th Annual Central Florida Balloon Rally. Contact Doug Gantt, PO Box 35, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130, (904) 736-1010, or fax (904) 738-4302.
11-13 Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk Spring Spectacular and Balloon Fest. Contact: Rene Meier at (804) 694-5800.
19-20 Tallahassee, Florida
3rd Annual Capital Balloon Classic. Inviation only. Contact Kelly Carraway, 1830 Buford Ct, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Phone (904) 878-0892.
May
23-26 Decatur, Alabama
29th Alabama Jubilee. 55 balloons. Contact Mike Wahl, 504 Walnut St NE, Decatur, AL 35601. (205) 350-6983
October
25-27 Mooresville, NC
FireFly Fall Classic, 50 balloons, $10,000 prize money, keygrab. $50 entry , $100 showup money. Contact FireFly Fall Classic, 281 Catalina Dr, Mooresville, NC 28115. Ph (704) 878-9501

Northeast

March
7-8 Easton, Pennsylvania
Great Eastern Balloon Association Safety Seminar. Contact Bob Dicks, PO Box 635, Holland, PA 18956. (212) 322-8097, fax (215) 322-3677.
May
6-8 Burlington, Vermont
9th Annual Lake Champlain Balloon Festival. 50 balloons (invitational; commerical balloons invited to inquire). Contact Rick Pollack, Lake Champlain Balloon Festival, PO Box 115, Charlotte, VT 05445, (802) 425-4884. http://www-balloonfest.together.com
June
6-8 Deptford, New Jersey
4th Annual Lions Flight for Sight Hot Air Balloon Festival. 25 balloons, 5 flights. Moon glow, Games, Crafters, Food, and more. Contact Jim Bernardo (609) 228-1964.
July
17-20 Harborcreek, Pennsylvania
Harborfest-Harborflyte. 15 balloons with large country fair, top entertainment. Contact Jim SiDsantis, Harborcreek Chamber of Commerce. 814- 899-9173.
27-29 Readington, New Jersey
14th Annual Quick Check New Jersey Festival of Ballooning. 100+ balloons. Contact Ann Doyle, 1140 Bloomfield Ave #209, W Caldwell, NJ 07006. (201) 882-5464, Fax (201) 882-7961.
August
8-10 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta. 30 balloons. Contact Kevin Poeppelman, 26809 Haines Road, Clarksburg, MD 20871, (301) 881-6262.
September
19-21 Glens Falls, New York
Adirondack Balloon Festival. Contact (518) 761-6366 or (800) 365-1050.

Midwest

February
7-9 Hudson, Wisconsin
The Hudson Hot Air Affair, eight annual winter celebration hosts 40 balloons and family entertainment. Contact Hudson Hot Air Afair Inc. at 888-AIR AFFAIR (247-2332).
March
8-10 Akron, Ohio
Balloonowledge '97 Safety Seminar and Trade Fair. Contact Gayle Myers, One Dolphin Dr, Akron, OH 44313. (330) 923-4600, fax (330) 945-4540.
June
13-15 Danville, Illinois
11th Oldsmobile Balloon Classic Illinois. 110 balloons, $22,000 prize money. 1st The Ladies Championship and 1st Danville Doubles, a unique team concept. Contact Herb Schmidt, 1110 Wintergreen St., Batavia, IL 60510, (708) 879-6733.
28-July 5 Battle Creek, MI
1997 Team U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship & Air Show. 200 balloons. Contact BCIBC, 237 North Helmer Road, Battle Creek, MI 49015 (616) 962-0592.
July
3-6 Lisle, Illinois
16th Eyes to the Sky Balloon Fest. 35 balloons, $400 show up money. 5.5 million people Chicago media market. Contact Herb Schmidt, 1110 Wintergreen St., Batavia, IL 60510 (708) 879-6733.
18-20 Goshen, Indiana
9th Elkhart County Fair Balloon Chase. 25 balloons. Contact Gene Stutsman, Balloon Fantasy, 802 S. Ind. Ave., Goshen, IN 46536, (219) 534- 2000.

North Central

February
7-9 Carlisle, Iowa
Private and Commercial Ground School sponsored by Balloons Over Iowa. Contact Julie Frueh at (515) 981-4609 or Gary Ford at (515) 255-5034.
22-23 St. Louis, Missouri
Gateway Aerostatic Association Safety Seminar. Contact Tina Reeves, 10472 Ashby Pl, St. Louis, MO 63074. (214) 427-8298, e-mail: skyangel@stlmo.com
July
31-Aug 3 Billings, Montana
Pepsi Big Skyfest, 75 balloons, $15,000 prize money. Contact Rob or Jetta Schantz, PO Box 51591, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32240. Phone (904) 223-4362 or fax (904) 223-6963
August
8-16 Columbia, Missouri
U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship. 100 competitors plus fiesta flyers. Contact LaDonna Weimer, Missouri Balloon Corp., PO Box 1305, Columbia, MO 65205. (314) 499-0884.

Canada

August
9-17 St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec
14th Festival de Montgolfieres de Saint Jean.100 montgolfières. Contact Daniel Bissonnette, Aeroport Municipal de St-Jean, Building #4, St. Jean-sur- Richelieu, Quebec, J3B 7B5 (514) 346-6000, fax (514) 346-6148.
29-Sep 1 Gatineau, Quebec
10th Gatineau Hot Air Ballon Festival. 150 balloons. Contact Jean Boileau, Director General 144, boulevard de l'Hopital, Gatineau, Quebec J8T 7S7, (819) 243-2331, or fax (819) 233-2338. e-mail: comm@ville.gatineau.qc.ca

International

March
8-17 Canberra, Australia
Canberra Festival Balloon Fiesta. Autumn flights over Australia's capital city as part of the annual Camberra Festival. No entry fee, free propane, free room, local retrieve and crew. Contact Sally Markham, PO Box 173 Civic Square ACT, Australia 2608, 61-6-207-6477, or fax 61-6-207-6472.
19-23 Hamilton, New Zealand
8th New Zealand Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. Contact Graham Hannah 011-64- 7-838-1621 or fax 011-64-7-838-2165.
April
27-May 2 Sligo, Ireland
Sligo '97 3rd Annual Sligo Balloon Fiesta. Limited to 40 balloons. Contact Malcolm White, 60 Dargle Wood, Knocklyon, Dublin 16, Eire. Tel 011-353-87- 432200. e-mail: malcolm@white.ie
May
13-18 Sigulda, Latvia
6th International Festival of Ballooning and 2nd Baltic Cup '96. 40 balloons. Contact Gunars Dukste, PO Box 431, Riga, LV-1047, Latvia. Ph/Fx +371-786- 0206.