Balloon Fest on the 4th
We went to the local balloon festival this afternoon. We didn’t stick around for the balloon launch or the fireworks, but that was part of the plan.
We got there about 1:30 in the afternoon. The kids did rock climbing and the patting zoo, then we watched lumberjack and acrobatics shows. After a snack break, we let them do some rides, but at $3-$5 per ride per kid, we felt that someone out there was being unjustly enriched. $16 for a family of four to ride a Ferris wheel?
After watching the parade, we decided that we had had enough. It was almost 4:30, the kids were tired and the crowds were piling in. After a rather long wait for an inefficient transport back to the parking lot, we were on the way home.
A few hints to festival organizers: (1) figure out how to move people to and from the parking more effectively. At the very least, have people form lines instead of letting the buses get mobbed, (2) use bigger buses - the glorified minivans didn’t cut it, and (3) sure you’ve got a captive audience but don’t take every opportunity to ding visitors for a few more bucks - or at least have a flat rate option for rides.