Special Memories of the Balloon Festival at the Warren County Farmers' Fair, NJ

It's been 12 years that we have been holding our balloon festival and I think about some of our favorite memories. We started out with 15 balloons the first year and now are up to between 35-40 (with the exception of the days we overlap with the Quick Chek Festival of Ballooning.

Here are a few memorable moments:

Love Was In The Air
The Warren County Farmers Fair & Balloon Fest holds a special place in the hearts of pilots Larry and Cindy Hughes since it’s where they first met in 2001. Larry is a Project Supervisor for Vollers Excavating and Cindy is an Architect with her own practice in Clinton. When they’re not ballooning they also enjoy other activities such as snowmobiling in the winter and motorcycling in the summer.

The Strawberry Balloon Crashes a Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Party

Rich Weidenhaefer and wife Cat could not believe it when they landed at a birthday party on Rt. 57. The theme of the party just happened to be Strawberry Shortcake.

It also so happened that the mother baked her twin daughters a strawberry birthday cake for the party in – you guessed it – the shape of a hot air balloon!

Rich, Cat and crew spent the rest of the evening giving tethered balloon rides to the guests and enjoying the rest of the party.

 

How the Family and now the Fair remember Phil Petti

In 2006 balloon festival coordinator Giulia Iannitelli received a phone call from Jackie Butt, the sister of a hero who died in the tragic attacks on 911. This particular year they wanted to make a poster of Phil and have it flown on one of the balloon baskets. A request we were honored to fulfill. The pilot that flew the banner is Kim Gott. After the flight the Gott family were given the poster and to this day when Kim pulls up with her balloon rig and opens the door of her trailor, you will see the poster of Phil.

Last year Jackie was surprised by Kim when she offered to take her up for a ride. This was an emailed sent to Kim from Jackie days after her flight.

Hey Kim,
Thank you again for such an awesome day. We knew we were going to have a great time with you and your family, but never expected it to be what it was. I came home and the smile never left my face. I had a good, happy cry saying my prayers and talking to Phil last night. When I awoke this morning the smile was still there. – Jackie

Jackie also shared with us this year a few photos

 

The entire family together at Phil's daughter's wedding last June. His son Phil also married this past November.

 

The Butt family and the Gott family and Phil
in a photo at the 2009 Fair