By Keith Gushard

Meadville Tribune

The annual Thurston Classic hot-air balloon event is to soar in the skies

above Meadville once again this June with a couple of new features.

It’s scheduled June 15 to 18 with all events t Allegheny College’s Robertson

Sports Complex off Park Avenue. The Thurston Classic, with 31 balloonists

scheduled this year, annually attracts about 30,000 visitors to the area.

“We’re ready to go,” said Ted Watts, chairman of the classic’s organizing

committee. “Our pilots are in (place for the event) and our volunteers are

chomping at the bit.”

The classic will begin at dusk June 15 with a night glow at Robertson Field.

In the glow, balloons are tethered to the ground and then lighted, giving

off a glowing effect with night fall.

A new feature this year: The night glow will be set to music. Family Fun of

Canton, Ohio, will provide music with balloons lighting up in coordination

with it.

The classic’s races will be June 16, 17 and 18, with pilots competing for

points in nationally-sanctioned events.

The second new feature is set for June 16 with the addition of John Ninomiya

of Solana Beach, Calif., who flies a helium cluster balloon.

Ninomiya wears a harness with dozens of large, helium-filled latex balloons

attached and sails up into the sky.

He is scheduled to take off June 16 prior to the start of that evening’s

balloon races.

Flights are June 16 at 6:30 p.m., June 17 at 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., and

June 18 at 6:30 a.m. (all times approximate) with balloonists either flying

out of or over Allegheny’s soccer field at the Robertson Sports Complex.

The Thurston Classic began in 1988 as part of the observance of Meadville’s

bicentennial celebration that year. It has been held every year except one

since.

It costs about $40,000 annually to cover expenses for the free event.

Funding comes from corporate sponsorships and donations by the public.



Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at

kgushard@meadvilletribune.com