Up, up and away
May 8, 2008 by Ambrose Clancy
This August 100,000 people will congregate in Brookhaven to celebrate Pilatre De Rozier.
Come on, you’ve never heard of Pilatre? Well, you’re not alone. It’s doubtful even a handful of the happy horde who will make their way to the NY Metro Balloon and Musical festival — back for a return engagement this year at Brookhaven Calabro Airport — will know that Monsieur De Rozier launched the world’s first hot air balloon. That 1783 mission carried a sheep, a duck and a rooster. The festival will improve on the first flight, which lasted 15 minutes before making a rude return to earth.
RE/MAX of New York will produce the festival, running August 8-10. Expect a a blizzard of ballons, kites, food, rock n’ roll and other crowd pleasing and extremely loud events. We assume it will be boycotted by sheep, ducks and roosters.
More form RE/MAX:
In addition to morning and evening hot air balloon inflations, the sky will be the backdrop for a fantastic array of mega-kites, including the world’s largest kite in the shape of the American flag. While the skies will be full of activity, there will be action and excitement on the ground as well. There will be daily monster truck rallies, motorcycle dare devil performances, extreme sports displays and other thrilling shows. The skydivers will return as well as an expanded carnival midway, circus acts, pet pavilion, travel expo, boat and RV show, antique fire truck show, craft and home improvement pavilion and custom car and motorcycle show.
More than 25 top name touring and Metro NY area bands will perform all day long on two big concert stages each day of the Festival. Bands will include Zebra, playing its only Long Island performance of the summer at the Festival, direct from Ireland – The Saw Doctors, local teen favorite Push Play, Billy Joel tribute band “Big Shot” and touring Pink Floyd tribute band “The Machine”. All concert performances are free with admission.
