WICKED Balloon to 'Defy Gravity' at Carolina BalloonFest This Weekend

Blumenthal Performing Arts has announced that WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, will be flying its own WICKED hot air balloon to the Charlotte area for the Carolina BalloonFest in Statesville, N.C. The "Defying Gravity" hot air balloon will appear at the festival this weekend, Oct. 16-18, 2015. The WICKED hot air balloon is making this special appearance in honor of the smash hit musical's return to Ovens Auditorium Jan. 6-31, 2016.

WICKED is sure to be one of this year's most "Popular" balloons at the Carolina BalloonFest. The festival began over 40 years ago as 'The National Balloon Rally" and is well-renowned as the second oldest hot air balloon festival in the United States. Located in the Southeast, Carolina blue skies offer a magnificent backdrop to over 50 majestic hot air balloons each year. Nearly 30,000 spectators are attracted to the three-day festival at the Statesville Regional Airport filled with live entertainment on two stages, a kids play zone, tethered rides (weather/wind permitting), great festival food, North Carolina wines and craft beers, artisan market, local/regional artists and special attractions such as the Saturday evening Balloon Glow and Sunday morning 5K & Kids Fun Run. Balloon pilots and crews gather from around the country to participate in Carolina BalloonFest in three late afternoon mass ascensions and two early morning flyovers.

Stan Hess, Veteran Balloonist and Tour Director of the United States Hot Air Balloon Team, is the veteran pilot of the WICKED Hot Air Balloon. He has been piloting the balloon since 2013 when the WICKED balloon was created in celebration of WICKED's 10th Anniversary on Broadway.

Tickets are now available for groups of 15 or more by calling Group Sales at 704-348-5752. Individual tickets for WICKED will go on sale Friday, Oct. 16. For more information about WICKED, visit BlumenthalArts.org.

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