Balloon Festival!

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  #16  
Old 05-08-2019, 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
Did you go to the balloon festival last year? If so, where were the portapotties? I'm having trouble imagining how to hide portapotties at the polo grounds, but I've actually never been there, just driven by.
They weren't hiding; they only had a couple. And the bathrooms at the polo field were closed off. Unbelievably poorly planned.


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  #17  
Old 05-08-2019, 08:38 AM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is offline
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CFrance, I was responding to this post:

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Originally Posted by villagetinker View Post
I agree, after last years problems I am not planning on spending $20 per person to attend, not be able to eat, and hard to find portapotties, and do not get me started on the disastrous parking and traffic control....
when I reminded people to ask where the portapotties are on their way IN. Y'know, so they wouldn't suddenly need to use them and not know where they are.
  #18  
Old 05-08-2019, 01:14 PM
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Sorry, I should have said a lack of porta-potties, as there were long lines, yes they were visible, at either end of the polo field, and as previously noted there was no access the the ones located in the building. We arrived about 1 hour early and actually got parking in the front lot on pavement. Stayed for about 3 hours, tried to eat, but many of the vendors were sold out and what was available we did not want. Went to leave, and you could only go out by going all the way around the polo fields, start and stop, 5 mph max, and over 45 minutes, then it was impossible to make a left, so we headed North and made a u turn at the first chance.
I will look forward to the reviews.
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  #19  
Old 05-08-2019, 04:44 PM
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Two portapotties, either sides of the field vs making it from one end of the house to the other... I would have to stay home!
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  #20  
Old 05-08-2019, 05:40 PM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is offline
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Though I can't speak on behalf of last year's festival organizers, I can speak on behalf of festival organizers in general since I've actually helped organize festivals. As someone who has actually done that kind of work on a large scale, it sounds to me as though the organizers of last year's balloon festival didn't expect such a turnout. I've had this exact same problem when I was with a group who organized the first-ever food truck festival in a particular area. The principal organizer took care of social media advertising, there was no other paid advertising at all.

Based on facebook "likes" and "goings," we were expecting a total of around 3000 people spread over a 2-day event. The park could handle around 1000 at any given moment, so a trickle of people totalling 1500 from 11AM til 8PM one day and noon-6 the next seemed like a reasonable expectation. Most people who attend food truck festivals don't show up at the beginning and stay til close. they come when they come, stay a couple of hours, and leave.

We had no idea that almost 4000 people would all try and show up within the first three hours of the first day. The highway had to be closed for one exit, the traffic jam backed it up three exits in either direction. The road to the venue was completely stopped for over a mile, the police had to be called in to divert traffic. Both the front and back parking lot were full by the second hour, and we hadn't thought to rent out the soccer field for parking, as sometimes this venue used to when it has its annual agricultural fair.

We had full use of the outdoor facility's restrooms, but they ran out of toilet paper. People were told not to bring pets (service animals were of course allowed), but they brought them anyway, and so it was a tangled mess of leashes. The lines were so long that people were waiting over an hour for their chosen truck's food. And by the time they got to the front of the line, they found out the truck had run out of what they wanted. Even the trucks didn't expect this kind of business.

A couple of people passed out from dehydration, since there was only one water vendor, it was a warm day in full sun, and of course the water vendor ran out as well.

They had to close early, due to lack of food, lack of toilet paper, and utter chaos on the roads and parking lot. The fines for "inadequate" parking attendants and police overtime were in the multi-thousands.

While my situation was a horrific nightmare on every possible level, it was also -obviously- from a marketing perspective a raging success. The fact that most of the trucks were completely sold out, means they raked in thousands of dollars and didn't have to throw a single thing away at the end of the weekend.

Last year's festival sounds like a similar situation, on a less dramatic scale. They suffered from an inability to accommodate masses greater than they had been expecting. They probably planned VERY well...for a much smaller crowd. If they had planned for much larger, and a much smaller one showed up, they would've taken enormous losses financially. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, but that sounds pretty much like the situation.
  #21  
Old 05-23-2019, 07:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uncleronniescheesecake View Post
This is the first year that the Polo Grounds are hosting. Check out their web site. I am having a booth this year and spoke to those in charge and asked numerous questions about all of your concerns. They seem to have everything though out well. I believe that they learned a lot from last years event as to how to make it better. I'm saying these things not because I'll be a vendor but because I would not be a vendor if this event was to be not be well organized.
Uncle Ronnie (Ron Findley) Uncle Ronnie's Cheesecake.
Here's the "official" link to the Polo Club's festival page. It's great that you posted to let everyone know who is hosting it! I took a skim through all the links on that page and it doesn't mention whether or not the rest rooms will be open. However, since it's the Polo Club itself that's hosting the event, I'm sure they'll either have it open, or have plenty of portable facilities available.

The Villages Balloon Festival
  #22  
Old 05-30-2019, 05:51 PM
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I was told today while setting up the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 1036 tent that there are 27 hot air balloons that will launch from the Polo grounds. Looking forward to this fun event starting Friday!
  #23  
Old 05-30-2019, 08:18 PM
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I don't see why I can't bring in my own snacks and drinks, coke or pepsi or just plain water.
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Old 05-30-2019, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by BobnBev View Post
I don't see why I can't bring in my own snacks and drinks, coke or pepsi or just plain water.
Because they have vendors who profit off selling these things to you. Would you go into a restaurant with food you brought from home?
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Old 06-01-2019, 04:57 PM
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We just got back from the festival (2019)...Its Saturday evening at 6pm and not a balloon to be seen! We were told they were coming in later if the weather allows. Why would we spend $15 each to see if they show. There is no excuse for not having balloons on the premises during a weekend long balloon festival. I understand it was open all day...for what?

I have been to other balloon festivals that have them flying in the morning then have the balloons tethered all day for people to go in them on the ground and see all the beautiful colors and designs.
  #26  
Old 06-01-2019, 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by ctreick View Post
We just got back from the festival (2019)...Its Saturday evening at 6pm and not a balloon to be seen! We were told they were coming in later if the weather allows. Why would we spend $15 each to see if they show. There is no excuse for not having balloons on the premises during a weekend long balloon festival. I understand it was open all day...for what?

I have been to other balloon festivals that have them flying in the morning then have the balloons tethered all day for people to go in them on the ground and see all the beautiful colors and designs.
I must have been right behind you. Was told by a parking attendant that it was still too windy. So I did not park or get on the long line to pay. Will try tomorrow afternoon.
  #27  
Old 06-01-2019, 05:10 PM
Bogie Shooter Bogie Shooter is offline
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Morning paper said there were 15 balloons on Friday evening.
Must be a safety issue with the weather.
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  #28  
Old 06-01-2019, 06:06 PM
OrangeBlossomBaby OrangeBlossomBaby is offline
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Hot air balloons are awesome. I took my dad for a balloon ride for his 60th birthday. We were warned in advance that if it was too windy, the ride would be cancelled. It wasn't just because being the balloon is steered entirely by the wind - and a really windy day could mean capsizing. But it's also because the balloons are powered by fire. Fire + wind = bigger, uncontrollable fire.

You get 15 hot air balloons all tethered on a single polo field, all fired up to keep them up (that's HOW they manage to be up in the first place) - and a really heavy gusty windy day, and you end up with a lot of fire. And a lot of dead people. And no polo grounds, and possibly no neighborhood.

It's the nature of the beast, and you should be thankful that the company producing this is taking every precaution to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
  #29  
Old 06-01-2019, 07:12 PM
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Just got back. Total waste of time and money. Never again. Not 1 balloon in the air by 7.
  #30  
Old 06-01-2019, 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Braddock View Post
Just got back. Total waste of time and money. Never again. Not 1 balloon in the air by 7.
You could have gone to the Pitbull concert. It was free and benefited a good cause. There isnt anyone within 300 miles that doesn't know about it.
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