Balloon Festival featured world champion balloonist
People were able to take a tethered balloon ride on June 9 at the Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival in the Touchstone Energy Balloon for a $20 donation to the Frontier Power Community Connections Fund. Josie Sellers | Beacon
COSHOCTON – The Touchstone Energy Balloon drew a long line of people on June 9, opening day of the Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival.
“We are thrilled to have the balloon here and be able to let people experience what it’s like to be in one,” said Kelly Kendall, manager of administration and office services at The Frontier Power Company, the major sponsor for the festival. “It’s an awesome thing to experience.”
People were able to take tethered rides in the Touchstone Energy Balloon for $20, which went to the Frontier Power Community Connections Fund.
“It all goes back to the community and for good causes,” Kendall said.
Local organizations can apply for a donation from the Frontier Power Community Connections Fund and Kendall said the board at Frontier Power meets and decides whether or not to contribute money out of the fund.
The Touchstone Energy Balloon is flown by two-time world champion and three-time national champion balloonist John Petrehn, who was flying in Coshocton County for the first time.
“My first balloon ride was with my Dad before I could see over the side of the basket,” he said.
Petrehn has been a licensed pilot since 1988 and has been fortunate to fly all over the world. One of his more memorable flights happened in Dubai where he flew over a man-made palm tree island.
“Balloons turn everyone into a kid,” he said. “You look up and you make everyone smile. I love the effect it has on people. It has a magical effect on them.”
Petrehn has logged more than 2,300 hours flying balloons around the world and won the World Hot Air Balloon Championships in Japan in 2006 and in Hungary in 2010.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
