The 17th annual Balloon Glow is this Friday night, June 16, 2023.
You can see hot air balloons up-close and personal.
The event is a fundraiser for the Children’s Smile Center.
Check this Facebook page for any weather-related changes.
PRESS RELEASE:OZARK, MO –The 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet to benefit Children’s Smile Center is slated for Friday, June 16, 2023, beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. at the Finley River Park in downtown Ozark. The 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet is held inside the grounds of the Sertoma Duck Race Festival and is free to the public.
Several hot air balloons will inflate just after dark providing an amazing light display against the night sky. Balloons are tethered to the ground and do not take flight so attendees can enjoy a 60 to 90-minute light show, pending weather and wind speeds. All attendees have the opportunity to see the very large and exquisite balloons close up, visit with the pilots and get in the basket to help keep the balloons inflated.
The 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet is part of the two-day Sertoma Duck Race Festival June 16-17, with several activities taking place beside the GLOW on Friday evening, including live music in an entertainment area, food and drink booths, small business vendor booths, and a kids’ zone with various carnival-type attractions for families to enjoy. For more information about these activities, please visit 4csertoma.org. There are costs associated with many of these activities, including a $10 parking fee. There is no admission charge for the 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet or the Sertoma Duck Race Festival.
“The GLOW is a fun event for all ages,” said executive director, Jackie Barger. “Rarely do people have the opportunity to see the balloons close up, but here you can visit with the pilots and then watch an amazing light show.” Barger continued, “We want everyone to know that the event is extremely sensitive to weather and wind conditions. The unpredictability of Ozarks weather means there is always a chance the event could not be held. Please keep informed through our Facebook page.”
The 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet is the largest single fundraising event of the year for Children’s Smile Center, and provides family enjoyment for thousands and thousands of families and individuals from not only local communities, but the four-state region, as well. Tentative responses from the Facebook event page show a very wide range of attendees from a 200-mile radius. Barger commented, “We are grateful to local corporate sponsors for underwriting this event and providing funds to help provide our dental clinics to people from low-income families served by Medicaid. Because of this support, we are privileged to put smiles on many faces, just like our GLOW.”
Proceeds from the 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet benefit Children’s Smile Center to provide dental care to children ages 1 to 19 and pregnant women covered by Missouri Medicaid who reside in Christian, Stone, Taney, Dade, Barry or Lawrence Counties through its three dental clinics located in Ozark, Branson West and Aurora.
Large Crowds Affect Traffic, Parking
Barger stated that people attending the 17th Annual GLOW presented by Ozark Chevrolet need to plan to arrive well before the hot-air balloons begin to inflate, which should be in the vicinity of 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. “4C Sertoma works well with the Ozark Police Department, as well as volunteer groups handling the parking areas, to provide an orderly as possible way to the park,” Barger stated. “But make no mistake about it, the traffic and parking are opportunities for patience and planning,” he added. Gates to the Festival grounds for the GLOW open at 5:00 p.m.
Law enforcement has estimated the crowd in recent years at the 12,000 level. “Getting that many people and vehicles all coming to one location at the same time is a challenge; once you arrive in the park, take the chance to appreciate the setting of the park, the trees, the river, the bridge and the Ozark Mill at Finley Farms.”
Weather and Wind are Key
Barger wants to remind attendees to keep informed about the event through their Facebook page, 17th Annual Hot Air Balloon Glow. Weather and wind conditions are monitored right up to the time of the balloons inflating, and pilots are very careful in making the decision to inflate their balloon based on local and area weather patterns, wind speeds, and weather fronts that move through the area from time to time.
Barger recalls a GLOW years ago when several pilots did not inflate their balloons because of an earlier rain that left the grass wet, severely impacting the pilots ability to keep their balloons
dry and mildew-free upon completing a glow. “What was difficult was explaining to attendees that many of the balloons could not glow even though there were blue skies and almost no wind at 8:30 p.m. So many factors are taken into account before a balloon can even be inflated,” Barger said.
For more information please call (417)818-5718 or go to their Facebook event page: 17th Annual Hot Air Balloon Glow.
