Hot air balloons. Image courtesy: Steve and Nancy Woller.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A Central Wisconsin couple has announced plans to hold a balloon rally and food festival in the Wausau area this summer.
Steve and Nancy Woller has spent the last few weeks planning the first-ever Taste n’ Glow Balloon Festival to be held on land owned by the Trailmakers Snowmobile Club in the Town of Stettin.
“People were emailing me and wanting to do something [they were] so disappointed. So we decided to put something together,” said Steve. “We’ve been trying to work on it for the last two months or so.”
He says the big break came when the Snowmobile Club offered up their location on the west side of Wausau for the event. According to Steve, the grounds feature an 80-acre lawn and other elements needed for an event of this size including a PA system, electrical hookups, water, and adequate parking.
Additionally, he says the location outside Wausau will provide for a clearer path for balloon pilots who won’t have to contend with Rib Mountain or CWA airspace to the south and Downtown Wausau to the north.
Nancy Woller says plans for the event also include a local food festival to help support businesses that have taken a hit during the COVID-19 outbreak by including food trucks, local restaurants, and caterers.
“We want to help them out. The non-profits too, have lost a tremendous amount of money by not having that big fundraiser down at the airport,” she said. “They are going to do a bunch of kid’s activities. They are hoping for a tractor pull, and we’re working on getting a laser show, which would be incredible.”
Nancy described the itinerary for the show as “evolving.”
This event is being held independently of the annual Balloon and Rib Fest held by Wausau Events. Steve Woller says they’ve had no discussions with officials at Wausau Events about possibly integrating some of their ideas into their event, as the focus remains on getting this event to the finish line.
He says permitting for the event is going through the Town, and so far there have been no issues.
Nancy adds that they are making plans for COVID-19 safety protocols with an emphasis on making sure any residents who want to take part can do so in a way that makes them feel comfortable. “We have protocols in place to ensure everyone’s safety and more importantly everyone’s involvement. They can come to the grounds, they can watch from home, or watch from their car.”
The Wollers say that the event is still in its planning stages and anyone who would like to get involved or bring an idea forward is encouraged to contact them directly by emailing them at tastenglowballoonfest@gmail.com. A website will also soon be set up at www.tastenglowballoonfest.com.
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