TEMECULA: This festival will lift your spirits

The wine flowed, the music jammed, the weather cooperated and the balloons glowed.

The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, now in its 28th year, attracted tens of thousands of visitors to Lake Skinner on Saturday, where 17 wineries poured some of their finest, and everyone from young couples to retirees and families converged for a good time.

Take 29-year-old Huntington Beach resident Crystal Whitcomb, who said attending the popular event was on her "30 before 30" list. Akin to a bucket list, the "30 before 30" list includes things Whitcomb wants to experience before turning 30 next May.

Amid skydiving and going to Ireland was the festival, she said.

"I have heard of it a million times and never been, so I figured why not," said the blonde, as she sipped a mug of beer on a blanket laid out near one of the event's two stages, which feature live music.

Although wine is the heralded beverage of choice at the three-day festival, which concludes Sunday, another guest who chose beer Saturday was Bullhead, Ariz., resident Carmen Davis, 53.

"Wine to me is something I drink before bed," said Davis, who sat under a tent and listened to the live bands play along with her sister, Rancho Mirage resident Carol Jenkins.

The sisters said they were having a fun time hanging out together. Davis traveled from Arizona to celebrate her birthday with family, and thought the festival would be a cool way to do so, she said.

"This is what a festival is all about," Davis said. "It's all about hanging out and listening to music."

A first-timer to the event, Jenkins said she thought hot-air balloons would fill the sky throughout the entire day, and not just make an appearance at dawn or dusk.

"I figured there would be 30 or 40 out here," she said.

The event features hot-air balloon rides in the morning, as well as an evening "balloon glow," in which hot-air balloons are blown up among the crowd at night. Also keeping the crowd entertained was a large vendor fair and children' s play area.

The play area includes an exotic mini-zoo with parrots, a small alligator, python, tortoises, wallaby, llama and scorpions.

Temecula resident Ramon Perez, 2, was among the visitors to handle a scorpion. It was on his hand for less than a second before he dropped it to the ground.

Mother Mia Perez, 23, said her family attends the festival every year.

"We love it," she said.

Very best Temecula Hot Air Balloon Festival 2011 | Article ...

Very best Temecula Hot Air Balloon Festival

Temecula Valley Festivals . The Temecula Hot Air Balloon Festival takes spectators to new heights, even though they’re not among the lucky ones that get to get pleasure from their quite own journey via the sky aboard among the several colorful vessels featured throughout this unforgettable event.

Temecula Valley Hot Air Balloon & Wine Festival Even though the dates and times of annual Temecula festivals are subject to change with each coming year, the Temecula Hot Air Balloon Festival is usually held in June. With the Best Temecula Guide it’s always easy to stay in addition to all the festivals out and about by just checking in with our Temecula Events Calendar. With entertainment to impress the entire family, delicious wines to keep adults merrymaking, fun activities for the kids and a wide variety of good food to tempt even the pickiest member of the family – it’s obvious why the Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival is among the most favored get-togethers inside whole region.

Looking Back at How it All Began The first Temecula Hot Air Balloon Festival took place in 1983 – though at the time it was referred to as the Rancho California Balloon and Wine Festival. The festival was the brainchild of commercial airline pilot and balloon enthusiast, Walt Darren, who teamed up with experienced event organizer and fundraiser Evelyn Harker to breath life into his vision and convert it into a smashing success. Together, they were able to organize a celebration that focused entirely on Darren’s love of ballooning, but added in wine tasting, entertainment and plenty of delicious culinary offerings for any full-circle event and the Temecula Balloon and Wine Festival was born! The festival has also entrusted great bands such as the Beach Boys, Little Anthony and the Imperials and the Coasters with all the job of keeping the rush and excitement level of the festival grounds with a maximum – an effort they have made the most of!

Temecula Balloon Festival Features A visit to the Temecula Balloon Festival is a treat for the entire family, or anyone seeking to have some fun and want to do something a little out of the ordinary. Several come for any wine but find themselves returning year after year, hooked on the sight of the festival’s multicolored Kings and Queens of the air filling the skies.

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