People looking to the skies this weekend in Kent may have seen several hot air balloons floating by. Eighteen balloons, including one crab-shaped balloon (“Claw’d the Crazy Crab”) participated in the Balloon A-Fair Festival in Ravenna Ohio, from September 15-17 at SUNBEAU Valley Farm.
The festival celebrated its 43rd year with the theme “Carried Up and Away with Community Spirit.”
VIDEO: Time-lapse video of balloon inflation and launch.
Festival events included a children’s parade, a community breakfast, a grand parade and new for this year, a hot air balloon night glow. The daily fair featured inflatables, live music craft booths, food concessions, business displays, a JEEP show with a car crush, helicopter rides and fireworks.
The festival was started to celebrate one of Ravenna’s earliest industries – the manufacture of toy balloons by the Oak Rubber Company. From the 1930s through the 1950s, Oak Rubber Company was the world’s largest manufacturer of toy balloons. A former plant superintendent started his own rubber business, Trexler Rubber, which still operates in Ravenna today.
For more information about this year’s festival and photos of all the hot air balloons, visit: https://www.ravennaballoonafair.com.
