Balloon Glow Captures
Beauty at Sunset

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

With thunderstorms moving toward Hopkins County from the west, Dairy Aire Balloon Pilots were only able to "glow" on Friday night, but they put on a spectacular show for the masses of Hopkins County residents that came out to watch. "It's just too risky for us to try to launch and fly any of the balloons," advised Lance Terry, Balloon Weatherman, in the pilots meeting, at 6:30 p.m., in the Southwest Dairy Museum. "There's a band of thunderstorms moving along I-35 and they are headed this way. We don't want anyone hurt or putting safety in jeopardy!"

 

Balloon pilots met in the Southwest Dairy Museum for a pilots briefing, on the weather conditions,
prior to Friday night's Balloon glow.

 

Pilots left the meeting and headed to the open field, near the Sulphur Springs High School track, and quickly began unloading baskets and balloons. Before too long, beautiful balloons were teathered and glowing, before a spectacular Hopkins County sunset, putting an awesome finale to the first day of the 50th Anniversary Hopkins County Dairy Festival activities.

 

Weatherman, Lance Terry, was the bearer of bad news, as a band of
thunderstorms were headed for Hopkins County!

 

A full schedule of activities are planned for Saturday, with the hopes of launching balloons, at 6:15 a.m., the 5K Milk Run at Coleman Park at 8:00 a.m., the annual Dairy Festival Parade at 10:00 a.m., a brunch for former queens at 11:30 a.m., a 42 Tournament at 1:00, the Corvette Show at 1:00 p.m., the annual Milking Contest at 3:00 p.m., the State Ice Cream Contest at 4:00 p.m., and another balloon lauch and glow, beginning at 6:30 p.m. There are plenty of Dairy Festival activities to interest anyone, on Saturday!

Enjoy these photos of Friday night's Balloon Glow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, as the sun set.......

 

Dairy Festival Board members began to anticipate
calling it a day.....

 

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