June Newsletter

June 15, 2022

LOTTERY LAND IS A WINNER!

New Jersey Lottery’s “Lottery Land” proved to be an exciting new entertainment feature in 2021 and the spacious entertainment complex will once again be a Festival destination and the place to meet up in 2022! The bi-level lounge area provides breathtaking views of the hot air balloon ascensions and the Festival grounds while offering fun, a place to relax, and immersive Lottery player experiences including the new New Jersey Lottery VIP Club. New this year:  VIP Club Lounge is an exclusive amenity for New Jersey Lottery VIP Club members. Festival-goers can sign up on site for access! The VIP Club Lounge will offer complimentary snacks and water for those VIP club attendees.  Check out the BIG SPIN prize wheel and enter for a chance to spin it for great prizes!  8 top-flight tribute bands will perform throughout the weekend on the CASH POP Summer Stage, a second performance venue providing attendees with even more music to enjoy. There will also be special CASH POP game promotion and giveaways.  Giant “Cash Cups” Pong game There will be other fun interactive activities, early access to August Scratch-Offs, opportunities to spin the promotions prize wheel for great premiums and prizes, and opportunities to purchase all Lottery games. Plus, the return of the Bean Bag Bucks Giant cornhole game, regular-sized cornhole, a deejay and an emcee in between activities, and a whole lot of fun and excitement for everyone!    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      VIP EXPERIENCES

The Blue Sky Club offers a variety of VIP perks including prime viewing along the flight line, catered food options, private air-conditioned restrooms, and free parking closest to the Balloon Launch Field. Concert Chalets offer the ultimate VIP concert experience! The Chandon VIP Sunrise Breakfast allows you to enjoy the peace and tranquility of our early morning balloon ascension with a delicious hot buffet breakfast! Private Parties love the Festival’s exclusive Hospitality Village to host a wedding, anniversary, birthday, or retirement celebration. The Corporate Hospitality Village is the perfect place to host a summer company outing with a front row seat to all of the hot air balloon activity, a specially catered meal in a private setting, and reserved seats to the Festival’s highly popular concert series.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                BALLOONMEISTER – HE TAKES US UP, UP & amp; AWAY

“We’re going to fill the sky with color!” says John Piper, official Balloonmeister of the 39 th annual New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning. “What’s really unique about this Festival, and a reason why you should come, is that you have the rare opportunity to see this many balloons at once,” added Piper, noting the Festival’s status as the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. Up to 100 sport and special shaped hot air balloons are scheduled to fly this year over the scenic Hunterdon County countryside. An experienced hot air balloon pilot with more than 25 years of experience, John is in charge of coordinating all balloon activities for all five scheduled mass hot air balloon inflations and ascensions. He oversees balloon crew teams and coordinates ride activities with our balloon ride operations team. He also conducts extensive briefings including the latest weather conditions with our pilots prior to each of our mass inflations and ascensions and coordinates each flight with New York Air Traffic Control to assure aircraft separation and safety. “Ballooning is one of the safest means of flying that there is and the physical layout at Solberg Airport is open and favorable to flying no matter which way the wind may blow,” said Piper. “We all want to see the balloons in the sky. We work very hard to make sure that our pilots and our patrons enjoy themselves in safe and secure surroundings.” “Not only can we fly in any direction here, but there’s also something to do in any direction, too,” he added. “You can go somewhere to see balloons. You can go to a concert. You can go to a carnival. You can shop at a mom-and-pop store. You can eat great food. Here, you can see and do them all in one place in a great family atmosphere.” John took his first hot air balloon ride in 1984. Like so many other pilots, that led him to buying his own balloon. He then became a crew member, then an observer, and then emcee for the Hot Air Balloon Jubilee in Jackson, MI. He received his private hot air balloon license in 1993, his commercial license in 1994. When he moved to New Jersey in 2001, he started flying here at the Festival. “Since I was a little kid, I’ve been enamored by everything that flies. Kites, planes, balloons. I’ve been trying to get off this planet all my life!”    

PHOTO CLASSES HELP YOU CAPTURE THE MAGIC

Instagram worthy? Awesome selfies? You bet! To help you get the most enjoyment out of your picture-taking experience as the beautiful balloons fill the skies, we’re once again teaming with Unique Photo in Fairfield, NJ, the state’s largest camera and video superstore, to offer festival-goers classes and unparalleled access to the Balloon Launch Field. Visit www.uniquephoto.com to sign up for VIP workshops, tips from their pros, hot air balloon ride experiences and more!    

HOTELS

I don’t know if you’re going to just insert the link here from the website or if you want any verbiage. Looking to make the most of your Festival weekend experience? Attendees may enjoy the accommodations and savings at the nearby DoubleTree by Hilton Somerset Hotel and Conference Center.    

WIN FREE FESTIVAL TICKETS!

We’re giving away a pair of Festival tickets this month! Be the first person to correctly answer the following question: We know the world’s a better place in a beautiful balloon. In 1967, which group recorded the timeless hit “Up, Up and Away”? a) The Four Seasons b) The Jackson Five c) The Fifth Dimension d) Maroon 5 e) Todd Rundgren’s Utopia The first person to respond to our Facebook page’s wall at facebook.com/NJBalloonFest with the correct answer wins 2 free general admission tickets for this year’s Festival!    

FOLLOW THE FESTIVAL Follow the New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning at www.balloonfestival.com, on facebook.com/NJBalloonFest and Twitter (@njballoonfest) for the latest news on new balloons, concert headliners and for insider pre-Festival savings on tickets.