Creston area ready for Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon Days

If you are looking for something to do this weekend in Creston, start by looking up.

The 46th Annual Hot Air Balloon Days begins today. The annual Pork Chop Dinner sponsored by the Creston Kiwanis, Lions and Rotary clubs is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at McKinley Park. Proceeds from the event benefit each club’s projects. Tickets are available through any club member, the Creston Chamber of Commerce Office or at the Creston News Advertiser.

Weather permitting, the balloons begin with the Friday Fun Flight sometime after 5:30 p.m. The balloon competitions are Saturday and Sunday. Depending on the wind direction, it’s possible to see flying balloons soaring across Creston. With balloon flights determined at the Creston airport, 1945 S. Cherry St. Road, during the weekend, please watch for high traffic flow in the area.

The annual parade of bands, balloonists and other participants will be on parade at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Uptown Creston. People can still have an entry in the parade. Come to the corner of Mills and Chestnut by 10:15 a.m. to be included in the parade. Due to the construction taking place in Uptown Creston the parade route will be the same route as the Fourth of July parade with the use of Division and West Adams streets.

Creston Community Schools will sponsor an Evaluation Field Show for the bands held at Panther Field at the high school. It will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased at the gate.

Uptown Creston is the site of various activities for spectators of all ages on Saturday. The Flea Market, on Maple or Elm Street, and the expanded Craft Fair in the West Depot parking lot will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tethered balloon rides will be available, weather permitting. Tethered balloon rides will be available at the airport for $20 per person on Saturday both in the morning beginning at 7:15 a.m. and again in the evening at 4:30 p.m. Rides will last approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

The pet show is at 2 p.m. at the airport. Beginning at 2:30 p.m. will be the Pedal Pull for ages 12 and younger. A bags tournament starts at 2:30 p.m. A radio controlled hot air balloon demonstrations begins at 5 p.m. NightGlow, which will begin after the last flight at the airport, ends Saturday activities.

A wide selection of food will be available both Uptown.

Creston Arts will be sponsoring Chalk the Town 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Creston Arts is at the corner of North Division and West Adams streets.

The Friends of the Library Used Book Sale is within the Creston News Advertiser, 503 W. Adams, 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday, Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The balloon committee and the Creston High School FFA are selling the annual balloon T-shirts and pins. Stop by the Chamber Office located at 208 W. Taylor to see the inventory.