The Jubilee is driven by a committee which is made up of volunteers from the community. The committee votes once a year for a Board of Directors who then conducts the business matters of the Jubilee. The Board consists of 7 directors who elect a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.
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This is the most asked question we receive. The move was not an easy decision. We were faced with exhibitors who wanted to be in one place for the entire weekend and none of the parks would allow a three day stay. We wanted to provide more activities during the day between the flights. Unfortunately, this was limited while in the parks. We recognize the atmosphere and beauty of parks setting, but with the high costs of providing a balloon festival, we needed to attract visitors throughout the entire day. We needed to expand our displays and parking, so the Airport was our best option. The Airport has allowed us to bring air shows, helicopter and airplane rides, and expand our other entertainment for the youth who attend. The Airport location also enhances the visibility of the balloons. It allows the chase crews and support vehicles easier mobility and access to the balloon launch field.
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The Jubilee Committee meets every month on the second Tuesday. Although the event seems to come together only once a year, it requires a full year of planning and decision making.
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Yes, after the expenses are paid, a portion of the wristband sales are donated to organizations that help with the event. Every year donations are made to Civic groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Church groups who work at the event. Also it is our policy to purchase necessary items from within our community. And the thousands of attendees help the community by purchasing gasoline, eating at local restaurants and visiting our many businesses located here in town.
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Balloonists will not fly when it is raining, windy, or when there is a chance for wind or rain to start while in mid-flight. This is completely for safety reasons. The unfavorable weather could take the balloon to a location that is unsuitable for a safe landing. Since the basket has not wheels or landing gear, it is not able to glide across the ground like an airplane can. If the wind has the balloon traveling too fast, this type of landing could be very dangerous for the pilot and crew. This could also be very damaging to the balloon itself. Precipitation presents other hazards to the balloon, like the threat of gusty winds, a thorough soaking of the envelope fabric which weakens it and shortens its service life. This along with the obvious dangers of thunderstorm wind and electrical activities. As a result, a balloonist is extremely cautious about flying when conditions threaten rain or thunderstorm.
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The most visible portion of the balloon is called the envelope. It is made of nonporous rip-stop nylon fabric; up to 36 layers of fabric at a time are cut into rectangular shapes which are sewn into long vertical panels. Seams are reinforced with one inch nylon tape. The basket is made of Rattan, the vine-like stems of palm trees found in Africa and Asia. It is light in weight and a good shock absorber in the event of a rocky landing. The typical balloon holds 70,000 cubic feet of air and it takes 15-20 minutes to fill an envelope with air. Propane fuels the burners that create hot air to lift the balloons. Most pilots carry four, 10 gallon propane cylinders. Forty gallons of propane equals about two hours of flight time. The average standard balloon costs $15,000-30,000 brand new. Special shapes like an animal can cost more than $70,000 each. Balloons are registered aircraft and the pilots must be registered with the Federal Aviations Administration, just like airplane pilots.
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