Ohio
Challenge
schedule
Friday evening
July 15
4 p.m. — Park opens; parking is at Hook Field airport
$3 adult walk-in admission (12 and younger free) or $8 per carload with free shuttle
4-8 p.m. — Circus workshops
4-9 p.m. — Circus aerial acrobatic performance
4-10 p.m. — Kids Discovery Tent by Middletown Public Library
4-10 p.m. — Murray Bros. Carnival
6 p.m. — Opening Ceremonies with Police/Fire Color Guard, National Anthem by Sontha Strinko; Team Fastrax skydivers bring in 3,700- square-foot American Flag, American-Indian ceremony.
6:45-9 p.m. — Tethered balloon rides, weather permitting
$10 adults, $5 kids (12 and younger)
7-10 p.m. — WGRR LunaMan — DJ on stage
7-8 p.m. — Balloon launch from site, weather permitting
7-9 p.m. — Fluff & Puff – Children can walk through cold-air-inflated balloon
8 p.m. — Team Fastrax skydivers bring in flag
9:15-9:45 p.m. — Balloon Glow, weather permitting.
9:45 p.m. — Team Fastrax pyrotechnic skydiving demonstration
10:00 p.m. — Park closes
Saturday morning July 16
6:45 a.m. — Park opens, free admission and parking
6:45-9 a.m. — Tethered balloon rides, weather permitting
$10 adults, $5 kids (12 and younger)
7 a.m. — Balloon launch
8-10:30 a.m. — Pancake breakfast by Middletown Christian Schools Foundation
$5 adults, $3 kids
11 a.m. — Park closes
Saturday
evening
4 p.m. — Park opens
$3 adult walk-in admission, (12 and younger free) or $8 per carload with free shuttle
4-8 p.m. — Classic Car Show
4-8 p.m. — Circus workshops
4-9 p.m. — Circus Aerial Acrobatic Performance
4-10 p.m. — Kids Discovery Tent by Middletown Public Library
4-10 p.m. — Murray Bros. Carnival
4 p.m. — Team Fastrax skydiving demonstration
5 p.m. -Team Fastrax skydiving demonstration
5-6 p.m. — Free MUM Thunderhawk Kite Flying — 200 Kites
6 p.m. — Team Fastrax skydiving demonstration
6:30 p.m. — Dave Lapham, former NFL football player and MidUSA spokesman
6:45-9 p.m. Tethered balloon rides, weather permitting
$10 adults, $5 kids (younger than 12)
7:30-10 p.m. — Dueling Pianos on outdoor stage
7-8 p.m. — Balloon launch from site, weather permitting
7-9 p.m. — Fluff & Puff, children walk through cold-air-inflated balloon
8 p.m. — Team Fastrax Skydivers bring in American Flag
9:15-9:45 p.m. — Balloon Glow
9:45 p.m. — Team Fastrax Pyrotechnic Skydiving Demonstration
10:00 Park closes
Sunday
6:45 a.m. — Park opens
Free admission/parking inside Smith Park
6:45-9 — Tethered balloon rides, weather permitting
$10 adults, $5 kids (12 and younger)
7 a.m. — Balloon launch
11 a.m. — Park closes
By Eric Robinette
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN — The MidUSA Ohio Challenge already has hot-air balloons and skydivers, so why not aerial acrobats, as well?
That’s the rationale behind bringing in the Cincinnati Circus, a new addition to the annual balloon festival this year. Previously, the festival had booked bands that had appeared at the likes of the Broad Street Bash, but the Challenge decided to add something new to the mix this year.
“It was just to bring something a bit more festive to the event. As we say, ‘It’s more than just hot air,’” said Paula Hale, event manager of the Challenge.
The Cincinnati Circus, a group of acrobatic performers based in the Queen City, had, up until very recently, offered flying trapeze classes at the Cincinnati Mall in Fairfield. This weekend they come to Middletown not only to show off their tricks, but to demonstrate how to do them.
In the acrobatic performance, “We have a free-standing aerial rig and have the acrobats dancing on them,” said Dovina Drury, marketing manager for Cincinnati Circus. The acrobatic act runs 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The other component of the Cincinnati Circus is the workshops, which run from 4 to 8 p.m. both days. In these workshops, performers will demonstrate their skills in tasks ranging from juggling to hula-hooping to rolling on a ball, Drury said.
But kid-friendly activities aren’t limited to the circus. There’s also the Murray Brothers Carnival, from 4 to 10 p.m. both days, a “Fluff and Puff,” in which children walk through a cold-air balloon from 7 to 9 p.m. both days, and Thunderhawk Kite Flying by Miami University Middletown from 5 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, with more than 200 kites.
Weather permitting, there will be balloon launch at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and a balloon glow at 9:15 p.m. both nights. Tethered balloon rides run from 6:45 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The weather forecast for this weekend calls for mostly sunny skies, with a high of 89 on Saturday. If winds run too high, the balloons may not fly.
However, even if the balloons don’t go up, the skydivers will go down. The Middletown-based Team Fastrax will perform pyrotechnic jumps and jumps with a 7,800-square-foot American flag.
Smith Park will also be open for balloon flights from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. There is no admission charge, but the other festivities will not happen at those times.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.