Mesquite Gaming prepares for lift-off with Mesquite Balloon Festival

Hundreds of photo-hungry spectators attend the 2019 'Mesquite Balloon Festival' to watch over 30 balloons take flight over Mesquite, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2019 | Photo by Andrew Pinckney, St. George News

MESQUITE, Nev. — The skies of Mesquite will be decorated by dozens of colorful hot air balloons Jan. 24-26 as Mesquite Gaming hosts the ninth annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.

“We’re excited for the return of the pilots and their hot air balloons,” Christian Adderson, corporate sales manager at Mesquite Gaming, said in a press release. “The Mesquite Balloon Festival is a site the whole family can enjoy and one of the most memorable events in Mesquite each year.”

Each day begins with balloon launches from the Oasis parking lot at 7:30 a.m. PST and wraps up with a 6 p.m. night glow and candlestick show at the CasaBlanca Resort. In addition to the brilliant balloon activities, CasaBlanca Resort’s live entertainment for the weekend includes Soul Men starring Spectrum – A Tribute to Motown & More on Friday night and ABBA LA – celebrating the timeless music of ABBA on Saturday, following a complimentary champagne tasting in the Skydome Lounge for guests 21 and older.

Sponsored by the Mesquite Resort Association, this fun-filled weekend of balloons and great entertainment is free and open to the public.

Volunteers are essential to the successful operation of the morning launches, and shifts can be booked daily or for the whole weekend. To sign up, go to the Hot Air Balloon Festival event page for volunteer online registration. Volunteers must wear jeans, closed-toe shoes and warm clothes, and will receive an event T-shirt, lapel pin, coffee and donuts.

Volunteer duties each morning typically take two to three hours and may include the following:

  • Assist pilot and crew to get the balloon and basket ready for launch.
  • Be a part of the chase crew after launch.
  • Assist pilot and crew to secure the balloon and pack up after landing.

Balloon launches and night glows are dependent on weather conditions each day, as the safety of the pilots, crew, volunteers and spectators is of high importance.

For more information on the Mesquite Balloon Festival, visit CasaBlancaResort.com.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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