There is a new annual tradition in Burton, as the Geauga Historical Society will host its second annual Light Up the Balloon Festival at the Century Village Museum on the weekend of Sep. 12 at 4 p.m.
“The inspiration is to showcase our beautiful campus,” Volunteer Linn Walker told The Weekly Villager on Aug. 28. “Our back view is to die for. It is probably one of the most beautiful views in Geauga County. That is where the balloons and the DJ will be and so we just want to welcome the community to come and see our campus and grounds and some of the historical homes will be open for tours.”
In addition to hosting the Light Up the Balloon Festival, the GCHS is also accepting donations. Donations can be made at the gate entrance on the day of the Festival, at the Museum during regular business hours or on the website at www.centuryvillagemuseum.org.
“We totally rely on donations, sponsors, and membership,” Walker noted. “We don’t get government grants and money from the government. We are always looking and asking so it is significant.”
Last year marked the first year the GCHS hosted a Light Up the Balloon Festival at the Century Village Museum, and Walker said as great as last year’s Festival was, the GCHS has already made significant changes to this year’s Festival.
“We live and learn,” she said. “We learned from last year what worked and what didn’t work and that is what we are always doing around here. We really love to learn, and we really are tweaking things that work and don’t work so we are very excited.”
One of the newer attractions to the Festival will be a horseshoe and cornhole contest. According to Walker, there will be teams of two that will be divided between the residents and the Amish community. The winner will receive a $200 prize, second place receives $100 and third place will be awarded $50.
The Festival will also feature four hot air balloons on the campus and one hot air balloon courtesy of RE/MAX Real Estate. The RE/MAX hot air balloon will offer attendees the chance to go on a tethered hot air balloon ride, where the balloon will raise up approximately 20 feet, giving participants an aerial view of Century Village’s 168-acre campus, which is home to 29 historical buildings including the old barns, a sawmill, cabins and historic homes.
It is the most wonderful feeling in the world to look down. It is going to be a wonderful aerial view, 20-plus feet in the air,” Walker said. “It is not going to be if you are way up high in the sky but it is going to get everybody a different view of the grounds.”
The tethered hot air balloon ride will only occur on Saturday, subject to weather conditions.
Walker added that as the sky darkens during the festival, the balloons will light up and the special musical guest, DJ Steve M. Savanyu of Buford T. Hedgehog Productions, will choreograph the music as the balloons begin to change colors.
Walker acknowledged that as much as the Festival is about raising funds to allow the GCHS to keep Century Village’s doors open, it is also about proudly displaying the historical attractions that the GCHS has assembled at Century Village. The Festival will also include tours of the campus, which will be hosted by guides to educate all interested parties.
Walker said that the GCHS is constantly putting in work to maintain the pristine conditions of these historical features.
“It is a labor of love,” she said. “We are having the rooms put on, we are working on the handicap-accessible, we work with the groundskeepers to get the grounds all landscaped and the driveways and whatnot graveled and inside we have fire safety and whatnot and more paintings. We are always working.”
Walker described other family-friendly activities to take place at the Festival, including games, bouncy houses, barrel train rides, a bubble station and a balloon artist.
