Maury Sullivan remembers urging Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival organizers in 1985 to add his favorite hobby to the already packed festival schedule.
He reasoned the festival needed another event, beyond the Grand Parade, that was free and accessible to the community. The Fashion Show Luncheon, Enshrinees Civic Dinner and Mayor’s Breakfast were all indoor, ticketed events that often sold out.
And Sullivan, who obtained his ballooning pilot’s license in 1982, believed hot air ballooning would be a great fit.
Festival Executive Director Janice Meyer was skeptical. The Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce already was juggling a full weekend of activities with limited staff and had added the Ribs Burnoff in 1984.
But Sullivan’s persistence paid off. On Aug. 2, 1986, 27 pilots launched their colorful, towering balloons before a cheering crowd during the inaugural Balloon Fiesta.
“Convincing Janice Meyer that the addition of the balloons to the festival wouldn’t be that big a deal was probably my finest moment in schmoozing,” Sullivan said. “Those who know Janice understand what that nervous facial twitch meant. I still can’t believe I convinced her that this would be easy, and she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.”
The event, now called the Balloon Classic, remains just as popular as it approaches its 40th launch with more than 130,000 spectators expected to view this year’s balloon activities.
What’s new for the 40th Balloon Classic?
This year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Balloon Classic, presented by Aultman, will feature more than 40 hot air balloons in five scheduled flights from July 25 to July 27 on the campuses of Kent State Stark and Stark State College in Jackson Township. Admission is free. On-campus parking is $15.
Weather permitting, balloons will launch at 6:30 a.m. each day, and at 6 p.m. on July 25 and July 26. Tethered balloon rides, where the balloons are anchored to the ground, will be offered at 6 a.m. on July 26 and July 27 and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 25 and July 26. Tickets for the tethered rides are free for children ages 5 and younger; $15 for children ages 6 to 12 and $25 for riders 13 years old and older.
The popular Night Glow, where the inflated balloons remain grounded and their burners are ignited so they light up like giant lanterns, will be held at 9 p.m. on July 25.
Returning for its second year, a drone light show featuring 500 illuminated unmanned aircraft will give a choreographed aerial performance over the balloon field at 9:45 p.m. on July 25 and July 26.
On July 26, the day will kick off with the annual Up, Up & Away 5K race at 8 a.m. and end with fireworks at 10 p.m.
The event also will include food, a balloon education area, craft vendors and inflatables and activities from 4 to 10 p.m. on July 25 and July 26. Music will begin on both days at 5 p.m. with Q92 DJ Nikolina. Karissa Ella will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. on July 25 and New Wave Nation will perform at 7:30 p.m. on July 26.
A VIP-ticketed experience called the Soaring Soiree has been added this year on July 25 and July 26 through a partnership between the chamber and The Canton Culture Collective, a community group that supports local arts and culture.
The soiree will offer unlimited food and beverages, specialty entertainment, exclusive field access and fast-pass tethered balloon rides. Tickets, which include a VIP parking spot, are $50 for children ages 12 and younger and $125 per adult. A portion of the proceeds will benefit ArtsinStark. To register for tickets, go to https://business.cantonchamber.org/event-calendar.
Balloon Classic has changed names, venues and weekends
For the first four years of the event, the balloons were launched from Weis Park at 2600 Harvard Ave. NW in Canton on the same weekend as the enshrinement activities.
But a 1989 traffic jam prompted changes.
“The enshrinees and all the dignitaries were being transported from Belden Village to the Civic Center to the (Enshrinees Civic) dinner,” Sullivan recalled. “They couldn’t get there because of all the traffic for the Balloon Classic at Weis Park.”
The Balloon Classic was moved to kickoff weekend in 1990. It moved to Jackson Township the following year.
“We were able to recruit more balloons because we had a lot more space,” said Sullivan, who said the event peaked with 72 balloons. “It changed the whole atmosphere of what we could do.”
A balloon luminary, now known as the Night Glow, was added in 1993. Organizers expanded the non-balloon offerings in 1995 when they paired the Balloon Classic with the Jackson-Belden Food Fest & Fireworks.
In 1997, Sullivan introduced a team racing format for the balloonist competitions that gave them more launch space to accommodate the 62 pilots who hailed from 12 different states and Japan.
Pre-dawn balloon launches began in 2008 for Stark County’s early risers. Tethered balloon rides were added in 2023.
Stark County Commissioner Bill Smith, who has participated in the Balloon Classic for nearly 40 years as a sponsor, pilot, volunteer and now on-field announcer, said the Balloon Classic is unmatched.
“It feels like you’re flying out of a stadium because of the way it’s shaped,” said Smith, who got his pilot’s license in 1988. “… I’ve been to different rallies around and nothing − as far as the spectator view or the layout or the way it’s done – nothing that I’ve been to compares.”
While both Smith and Sullivan have retained their pilot’s licenses, they have sold their hot air balloons and equipment.
Sullivan, who will turn 79 years old in August, will return to the Balloon Classic this year as an adviser and president of the jury, the person who hears scoring disputes among pilots during the competition.Smith, who is the general vice chair of this year’s festival, will once again be the on-field announcer.
His son, Billy Smith, will be among the pilot names that will be announced − as long as the weather cooperates.
Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: From fiesta to classic: Balloonists celebrate 40th annual Balloon Classic in Stark County
Reporting by Kelli Weir, Canton Repository / The Repository
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
