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LEXINGTON SUNRISE ROTARY CLUB
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For the 17th consecutive year, Lexington's Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation and its local
community sponsors will coordinate an event that brings thousands of people to the
Virginia Military Institute's Parade Ground twice on July 4th and again on the morning of
July 5th for three launches of hot air balloon rides, plus fun, food and festivities, and
Fireworks on the 4th of July.
This year, the balloon rides will move to Lexington Baptist Church for launches on the
evening of July 5th and on the morning of July 6th.
Admission to the event is free. A bus shuttle is provided on the 4th of July for your
convenience, running between off site parking and the VMI parade ground . See below
for parking instructions for the entire event.
The signature activity of the event: the is the gathering of colorful hot-air balloons for a
rally over the scenic Shenandoah Valley. Visitors seeking a breathtaking trip may
purchase rides for the morning and evenings of July 4, and again for the morning and
evening of July 5, and for the last launch on the morning of July 6.
Piloted launch times are scheduled for 6 p.m. or 6 a.m., but may vary
because of weather and winds. For information and reservations, call 540-461-0402.
Tethered balloon rides, for adults and children, also will also be available after 7 p.m.
on July 4, weather and winds permitting. No reservations are taken for tethered rides.
On July 4th, the Parade Ground at VMI comes alive with vendors, music, kids'
activities, and, on the 4th of July, a kid's tent featuring face-painting and other
entertainment for kids.
There will be an antique-car display on July 4th.
One of the biggest draws each year is "Eleanore's MarketPlace," (a tag sale of
gently used items) which will open on July 4rd beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until
about 3 p.m.
Visitors may bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to the Parade Ground
to enjoy a beautiful balloon glow at dusk on July4th , and also a spectacular
fireworks display at dark on July the Fourth.
Vendors will be on hand selling delicious foods of all kinds throughout the festivities on
July 4th.
Lexington Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation donates all the proceeds from the event to
more than a dozen area charities, especially ones that help children.
In addition to the balloon rally, historic Lexington offers many other things
to see and do, including the VMI Museum, The George C. Marshall Museum, the
Stonewall Jackson House, and the Robert E. Lee Chapel and Museum on the Campus
of Washington & Lee University.
The City of Lexington holds it annual July Fourth children's bicycle parade, which is
held downtown, on Main Street, on the morning of July 4th.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a mere 6 miles east of Lexington, and The Appalachian
Trail passes over and by Buena Vista, Virginia, about 8 miles east of Lexington.
Lexington, Virginia is at the intersection of Interstate 64 and Interstate 81 in
Rockbridge County, and on the famous "Lee Highway "(State Route 11), that runs
basically north- south through the beautiful and historic Shenandoah Valley, called "the
Valley of Virginia."
17th
ANNUAL BALLOON RALLY AND 4th OF JULY CELEBRATION JULY 4, 5, and 6, 2013 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (Flight times are
subject to weather conditions) WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 8:00
a.m. Field Set up at VMI 3:00
p.m.-6:00 p.m. Vendor set up at VMI THURSDAY, JULY 4 –All
activities at Parade Field of VMI 6:00 a.m. Hot air
balloon rides at VMI 8:00
a.m. – Noon Vendor set up 9:00
a.m. until dark Vendors and Food Markets open 9:00
a.m. - 3 p.m. Eleanore’s Market Place Tag Sale Noon - 4:00 p.m. Antique car
show Noon - 9:00 p.m. Kids’ Inflatables
Noon -
6:00 p.m. Kid’s art/entertainment activities Noon -
9:00 p.m. Merry-go-round 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Rotary Bar-B-Q
dinners 6:00 p.m. Hot air
balloon rides at VMI 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Tethered
hot air balloon rides 6:00 -
9:00 p.m. Live Music 9:30 -10:00p.m. FIREWORKS FRIDAY, JULY 5 Morning
Flights at VMI; Afternoon flights at Lex. Baptist Church 6:00 a.m. - Hot air
balloon rides at VMI 7:00 a.m. - Clean
up and take down of tents, etc. at VMI 6:00 p.m. - Hot air
balloon rides at Lexington Baptist Church SATURDAY, July 6 Morning
Flights at Lex. Baptist Church 6:00 a.m. - Hot air
balloon rides at Lexington Baptist Church 7:00 a.m. - Clean
up at Lexington Baptist Church
If you would like to
participate in our Balloon Rally, please send us your
application. You can
click Here to print out a Vendor application form, complete it,
and mail the information to
us. | |
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17th Annual Lexington Sunrise Rotary Club Foundation Balloon Ride Registration Instructions
“See the Valley as you’ve never seen it before. You won’t forget the views.” “The balloon ride was the best gift ever. “
All piloted ride reservations must be made by phone. To sign up for a piloted hot air balloon ride call Jan at 540-461-0402. Payment must be made with Jan by credit card. There is a $25 non-refundable charge for cancellations before June 30. No refunds are made after June 30. If the balloon ride is cancelled due to adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances, a full refund will be made. Piloted hot air balloon ride reservations are $200.00 each.
Tethered rides are available on July 4 We will have the following 5 launches: : at VMI from about 6:30 p.m. until dark, At VMI Parade Ground: : depending on weather. July 4, 6:30 a.m. : $15 for adults, $5 for children and July 4, 6:30 p.m. : no reservations required. July 5, 6:30 a.m. : At Lexington Baptist Church: : July 5, 6:30 p.m. : July 6, 6:30 a.m. :
Piloted rides are typically 45 minutes to one hour long. With 10 hot air balloons, we will be able to accommodate 30-40 passengers each launch. Reservations are taken on a first come basis. We will try to make arrangements according to your wishes.
Passengers should arrive 30 minutes ahead of the launch time to sign waivers and get balloon assignments. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and hats and sunglasses are recommended. We usually have 3 to 5 passengers in each balloon, depending on the size of the basket. Passengers must be able to climb in and out of the basket on their own. The pilots have the final say on all passengers. Our pilots come from surrounding areas. They are highly qualified, and many of them have been coming to Lexington for years.
If you have questions, Jan will provide you with details. | ||
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Rally SupportersWe would like to recognize and thank the following people and organizations whose pledges of financial support helped make the 2012 Hot Air Balloon Rally possible. |
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