| 2009 Midfirst Ohio Challenge Balloon Event Stats Release |
| Sunday, July 26, 2009 11:01:58 AM - Middletown Ohio |
Submitted By Ann Mort
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
Contact: Ann Mort, 513-649-4506, RMort@cinci.rr.com
July 22, 2009
NEARLY 68,000 PEOPLE ENJOYED BALLOONS AT MIDFIRST OHIO CHALLENGE
The Middletown local economy gained a $4.4 million boost as 67,825 people enjoyed the MidFirst Ohio Challenge hot air balloon festival last weekend at Smith Park. Already the organizing committee is planning for the third weekend in July, 2010 for the 8th annual event.
Event chairwoman, Maria Langendorf released statistics gathered by volunteers at the 7th annual hot air balloon event and summarized the weekend as “Another outstanding effort by the volunteer team who work almost year-round planning and improving the event each year. We are proud to present a first class event and thank those who attend and those who work so hard to make it all happen.”
The 2009 event changed hours and entrances and still showed a significant increase over the 2008 attendance of 59,097.
A volunteer survey team asked guests at random their hometown and how they heard about the event. With 88% of guests driving no more than 1 hour to reach the event, an increase over the 72% from 2008, the “staycation” alternative to expensive travel seemed apparent. The majority of the guests come from Butler and Warren Counties – 74%, and this year, Hamilton County/Cincinnati equaled Montgomery County/Dayton with 6% each. Ohio residents accounted for 94% with all other states accounting for 6% of the guests.
TV, Newspapers, signs, cards, magazines, radio and a growing percentage of website hits were mentioned as sources of information about the event. By far the fastest growing percentages were Word of Mouth-25% and Tradition (“We come every year”)- 32%. Mrs Langendorf commented, ”We are happy to be the reason for families to get together and use our event as a part of their annual reunions.”
As usual, sponsors such as MidFirst Credit Union, Middletown Community Foundation, AT&T Real Yellow Pages, Chamber of Commerce, Middletown Convention and Visitors Bureau and 48 other businesses and organizations made the event possible at a very affordable cost to families by providing cash and services to the event.
Twelve non-profit organizations also benefited from MidFirst Ohio Challenge by providing needed services such as trash collection, admission attendants, parking lot supervision and food vendors.
Since hot air ballooning is a sport that relies on the good grace of landowners to allow take off and landing on their properties, each cooperating landowner is given a card to fill out with their name and address. A drawing was held and four of those landowners will be receiving $50 Visa gift cards as a thank you from the event. Joe Nunamaker of Thomas Road, Maurice Swanson of Cloister Cliffs, Wayne Shepherd of Dickey Road, and Sandy Szabo of Hetzler Road are the winners.
To view the complete Stat sheet from the 2009 Balloon Challenge Click here
2009 Balloon Economic Impact
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