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TEMECULA
VALLEY
BALLOON & WINE FESTIVAL
June 1, 2,& 3 2007
(951) 676-6713 or 951.678.1456
@
Lake
Skinner
Poster
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A tradition since 1984, the Temecula
Valley Balloon and Wine Festival welcomes guests from
all over Southern California as they dance to our music,
laugh with clowns, fly with balloons and camp at a
beautiful Lake Skinner. Whether you're spending the
weekend or the day, you'll find mini-festival's within the
balloon and Wine Festival Grounds - each combining the
perfect blend of outstanding food and entertainment.
Hot Air Balloons
Over 50 colorful balloons launch from the grassy fields of
Lake Skinner Regional Park Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Enjoy a flight over Temecula's Wine Country during the
vineyard's spring bloom. Or, take a sample
"tethered" ride where you soar 100 feet above
the Festival Crowd.
Dancing Balloons Glows
Friday and Saturday evenings the crowd encircling the main
launch field waits patiently for the starlit night sky.
Anticipation heightens as night falls and the feeling of a
colorful party intensifies. The Temecula Valley Balloon
and Wine Festival is the only ballooning event known to
produce "dancing balloons" during evening
balloon glows. Watch as the balloon pilots, with perfect
synchronization, ignite their balloon burners to a musical
beat of rock and pop tunes illuminating the pitch black
sky with brilliant color.
The International Wine and Cheese Garden at the Temecula
Valley Balloon and Wine Festival is one of the most
popular attractions.
The Garden features Temecula Valley's finest premium
wines, including sparkling wines. Food demonstrators and
samplings include gourmet cheese, hors d'ouevres, and
specially prepared foods. Click
here for a list of Wineries.
For tickets and information call: (909) 676-6713.
R.V. Camping Reservations call late January (800) 234-PARK
- Map
Hot Air Balloon Rides -
History
The Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce gave the Festival
its start back in 1983.
Walt Darren, a commercial airline pilot and avid
balloonist shared an idea he had for staging a hot air
balloon race in Temecula. Vicky Taylor, then president of
the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce asked Evelyn
Harker, a veteran event organizer and fund raiser to help.
Evelyn immediately suggested it might "fly" even
better if it involved some of the area's other natural
attractions such as wine tasting, culinary presentations
and entertainment. With an enormous task ahead, the
assistance of two other community-minded individuals,
Sherry Prysock and Mike Flaherty was enlisted and Evelyn
became the first event chair person. The seed money was
provided by Kaiser Development Company and sponsors came
from the local community giving what they could with many
contributions consisting of in-kind services and products.
The first Balloon and Wine Festival was launched in the
Spring of 1984 and was a monumental success for a town of
only 9,000 residents. More than 4,000 people were in
attendance that year as 35 balloons were launched from
above what is now the Tower Plaza off Ynez Road.
Over the years, the balloon launch has been staged at
several different locations including from a field where
the Temecula McDonald's now stands, the Rancho California
Sports Park, two sites north of town that are now a part
of Rancon Business Center, and of course, Lake Skinner,
the site of the current Festival.
In 1991 the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival
Association was formed when the Chamber of Commerce ceased
producing the event. The mission statement of this new
non-profit charitable organization was (and still is) to
enhance the charitable, cultural, educational and economic
development of the region.
While the theme of hot air balloons and wine has always
served to anchor the event, each year new attractions have
been introduced. In 1988, a landmark year by all accounts,
the Festival featured live big name entertainment with the
Coasters and Little Anthony and the Imperials.
The Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival has become a
celebration of life with flavor and appeal for everyone.
The Temecula Valley Wine Country is a pristine area where
the air is swept clean by cooling ocean breezes and
rolling hills are covered with vineyards. Temecula Valley
Wine Country has been blessed with a unique microclimate
providing cooler summer nights, well-drained decomposed
granite soils and a 1500-foot elevation all of which are
ideally suited for growing premium wine grapes. It is a
climate that is often compared to the great wine regions
in the South of France and one that is producing world
class wines.
The first family to plant vineyards were the Cilurzos who
planted the first vines of Temecula's modern Wine Country
in 1968. Eli Callaway, with the help of John Moramarco
Senior started Temecula's first commercial winery,
Callaway Vineyard and Winery. John Poole followed shortly
after and established Mount Palomar Winery while Filsinger
Vineyard and Winery was the fourth winery pioneer of the
region. Today Temecula Wine Country boasts 19 wineries
with others in the planning stage or under construction.
Many of the wineries are family owned and operated where
handcrafted wines are the rule, not the exception.
Award-winning and gold medal wines are abundant
Visit Temecula
With many antique shops,
on-line shopping mall, wineries and a full service mall,
Temecula has something for everyone, from the shopaholic
to the browser. and, because Temecula is still
relatively small getting around, it's a stress-free
and enjoyable experience!
Stroll Old Town Temecula with its fresh produce open-air
markets Saturday and Wednesdays at The Promenade Mall, or
enjoy one of the many antique shops all a must
for the bargain hunter who enjoys personal attention and
the buzz of the crowd. Old Town Temecula features several
specialty shops in original, architectural surroundings.
 Certified
Farmer's
Market
"Certified" means by the state of California.
It's supposed to ensure that the produce is grown here,
sold by the grower and meets all state quality standards.
Come enjoy a casual atmosphere in the open air amongst Old Town Temecula's historic
landmarks every Saturday from 8 am - 12 noon.
The market has something for everyone, fruits, vegetables,
plants, avocados, flowers, olives, cheeses, kettle
corn, tamales, handmade soaps, lotions, natural pet foods,
farm fresh
eggs, hats, pottery, local artists displaying their work,
musicians entertaining the crowds and much more. More
info...
The Farmer's Market is also open every Wednesday at the
Promenade Mall parking lot..
Official website of the
Balloon & Wine Festival
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