RUSSELLVILLE — Balloons Over RussVegas is back, and with it the chance for people to ride in hot-air balloons or sky dive, or participate in other activities that don’t require leaving the ground.
The second-annual festival is set for May 1-3 in Russellville. It kicks off May 1 with a Mickey Gilley and Johnny Lee concert at the Center for the Arts in Russellville, 2209 S. Knoxville, and events on May 2 and 3 will be at the Russellville Soccer Complex, 901 Lock and Dam Road.
Rodney Williams of Branson, Missouri, who grew up on Petit Jean Mountain, is the event promoter for the second year. He’s also a hot-air-balloon pilot.
“It was a great first year last year,” he said. “The weather was perfect.”
Williams is optimistic about this year’s Balloons Over RussVegas, too.
“We’re having about 20 balloons; we’ve got some special-shaped balloons,” he said. Those include a flying purple people-eater and Pepe LePew, a cartoon skunk.
The three-day event includes opportunities to go up in hot-air balloons, as well as tethered balloon rides, sky diving, powered-parachute rides, live entertainment, food vendors, a charity dog walk and more.
“We love having this event in Russellville and working with Rodney,” said Christie Graham, executive director of tourism for the city of Russellville.
Williams said he is excited about the Mickey Gilley/Johnny Lee concert, which coincides with the 35th anniversary of the movie Urban Cowboy, which featured their songs. Gilley’s hits include “Stand By Me,” “You Don’t Know Me” and “Don’t All the Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time.” Lee’s songs include the No. 1 hit “Lookin’ for Love.”
Tickets are still available for the 7 p.m. show at The Center for the Arts. They may be purchased online at www.mickeygilleyconcert.com, by calling (479) 304-7777 or at the center. Williams said the Ray of Hope Food Pantry in Russellville will receive a portion of the proceeds from a VIP event at 5:30 p.m. in the Black Box Room at the center prior to the show. Tickets are $10 for pizza, hot wings and a drink. Tickets are limited to about 100, and advance tickets may be purchased online.
Anyone who donates nonperishable food items to Ray of Hope will receive $5 off the concert-ticket price. The organization will also have a booth at the concert to promote awareness of hunger as a serious and growing issue in Arkansas and will accept donations, Williams said.
Williams said tethered hot-air balloon rides will be $15 starting at 5 p.m. May 1 at The Center for the Arts, but anyone is welcome to come enjoy the beauty of the balloons for free. Tethered rides will be offered in the morning and evening on May 2 and 3, he said. Last year, only evening rides were offered.
“This year, we will be doing tethered balloons while the other balloons are flying,” he said. “[The tethered balloons] go up between 70 and 100 feet, depending on the winds and all.”
Reservations are needed to go up in a hot-air balloon on May 2 and 3.
“We have a couple of bigger balloons than what we had last year; they can take eight to 10 people,” Williams said. The cost is $250 per person. Flight time is about 45 minutes to an hour, according to the website.
A 1-mile charity dog walk, which was popular last year, Williams said, will begin at 10 a.m. May 2.
Participants can pick one of three animal charities to receive 100 percent of the cost of the walk, which is $20 before the event or $25 the day of the walk. The entry fee includes a T-shirt, a bandana for the dog and a goody bag of treats, Williams said.
“Right after the dog walk is when live entertainment starts, around 10:30. We’ve got several bands from that point through the end of the day, till 8 p.m.,” he said. “We’ve also got powered parachutes — they’ll be giving rides — and helicopter rides going on all day.”
Williams said performers will be listed on the website, www.balloonsoverrussvegas.com.
Tandem skydiving, which costs $250 per person, was popular at last year’s festival, Williams said.
“We had 62 people last year,” he said. The planes leave from the airport, 1759 Airport Road. Williams said he is partnering with the Wounded Warrior Project on that event.
The key word in the festival is balloons, though.
The balloons will launch at sunrise on May 2 and 3 and stay in the air for a couple of hours. They will be “packed away,” then will be inflated again in the evening.
“The best time to get pictures is closer to sunset; [the balloons] glow after dark,” Williams said. “It’s free to just come watch.”
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.