Hot Air Balloons
Meet the Magic Behind the Balloons!
Welcome to the heart and soul of the Rossford Balloon & Fireworks Fest—our amazing hot air balloons and the pilots who fly them!
From colorful classics to creative showstoppers, each balloon has its own story—and so does the skilled pilot guiding it through the sky. Scroll down to meet the talented crew, see the balloons up close, and get to know the high-flying heroes who bring the magic to life!
Darkstar
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Space Joseph Clark
Balloon Name: Darkstar
What got you started?
Grew up watching and helping launch balloons from Cherokee Park in Brimfield, Ohio. I have always been fascinated with anything that flew. Fast forward 30 years, and I began flight crewing for heaven-bound ascensions. My first balloon ride was in late 2022. Upon landing, I immediately applied for my student license. I earned my private pilot license in 2024, followed by my commercial pilot license in early 2025.
How did you name your balloon?
Inspiration was taken from Star Wars and Spaceballs movies. Additionally, the balloon glows spectacularly at night.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
40 Years
How many events do you participate in a year?
3-10 a Year.
Describe your ideal flight.
An ideal flight is with a group of first-time passengers checking off bucket list items. During the flight, converting them into balloonatics and seeing them year after year.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Taking off in one state and landing in another. This was accomplished by taking off on a 19° February morning. Setting personal records along the way of 53 mph, reaching 13k ft, and flying 58 miles in under 2 hours.
Subzero winter flying, dawn patrol, and long jumps are all very special flights individually. Combining the three into one flight is a goal I intend to make a reality.
Jabberwocky
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Andrew Barnum
Balloon Name: Jabberwocky
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Just came to us. Name of the monster in Alison Wonderland. It’s from a Lewis Carroll poem. Beware of the Jabberwocky.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
42 Years
What got you started?
Crewing for my dad.
How many events do you participate in a year?
4-6 a Year.
Describe your ideal flight.
Evening flight, 5-6 mph wind. Great crew. Taking off and landing on manicured short grass.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Crewing for the Mr. Peanut balloon and flying out of Central Park, NYC.
Game Night
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Victoria Brindley
Circle City Balloon Rides LLC
How did you choose and name your balloon?
At heart I am a competitive person and love a good game night with friends!
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
8 years
What got you started?
The Great Indiana State Fair Balloon Race of 2018! My husband, Andrew, and I went as spectators and ended up being pulled from the crowd to help a pilot launch his balloon! After that, we met friends in the local community who taught my husband how to fly after a few years of being crew. Then Andrew taught me how to fly!
How many events do you participate in a year?
10
Describe your ideal flight.
I absolutely love morning flights! Taking off and watching the world wake up with the sun is something I enjoy every time...especially if I have a cup of coffee with me!
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
I love the story of how my husband, Andrew, and I got started in ballooning! We were not planning to have a life changing day in 2018, and little did we know it would change the course of our lives! We are still great friends with the pilot and family that chose us from the crowd, and it goes to show just how welcoming and supportive the balloon community is!
Wait for iiit...
Sponsored by: Meijer-Rossford
Pilot: Andy Gross
Balloon Name:
Wait for iiit...
How did you choose and name your balloon?
It's one of the catchphrases from my favorite TV show, Psych.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
41 Years
What got you started?
My dad is a retired balloon pilot; he started flying the year before I was born. So I've been ballooning my entire life.
How many events do you participate in a year?
10-12 total. 5-6 as a Pilot and 5-6 as a crew chief
Describe your ideal flight.
Sunny day with light winds on the surface and some wind aloft so you go somewhere with a good safe landing spot.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
I've been ballooning my whole life, so I have a lot of interesting stories; it's impossible to pick just one to share.
Old Cat
Sponsored by: Rust & Rust Ltd.
Pilot: Steve Mitchell
Balloon Name:
Old Cat
How did you choose and name your balloon?
I purchased the balloon used from a very good friend, Rick Kerber, who used to fly it with a Michigan Caterpillar banner on it. When I started flying it, I actually named it something else originally, but every time people saw it, they would comment, "Hey, that's the old CAT balloon!" and the name eventually stuck!
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
Over 25 Years
What got you started?
I started chasing balloons as a kid on my bike in Battle Creek, MI. When I was in high school, I volunteered as crew for my local hot air balloon event. A few years later, my brother, Dad, and I decided to purchase our first balloon and begin our training. I received my private pilot license in 2008 and immediately started entering competition events around the country, eventually flying in my first National Championship in 2014. Since then, I have had the opportunity to crew for the US team at the World Championships in Saga, Japan, and also received my commercial license in 2016.
How many events do you participate in a year?
11
Describe your ideal flight.
Beautiful weather with a nice 5-10k wind, 20-40 degrees of steerage at altitude, 65 degrees, friends, and plenty of landing spots ahead!
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
A few years ago, Scott Appleman suddenly passed away unexpectedly. Scott was the founder of Rainbow Ryders, one of the largest hot air balloon ride companies in the world, based out of Albuquerque, NM. When he passed, I was honored to have the opportunity to spread some of his ashes from my balloon while flying over the Rio Grande River during a flight at the ABQ International Balloon Fiesta.
Neil
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Sean Dennis
Balloon Name:
Neil
How did you choose and name your balloon?
After a flight one night a group of us were talking, and Neil Diamond came on the radio. Most of us yelled, "Neil, that’s the name."
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
Pilot since 2000
What got you started?
My dad started flying in 1970. I have 2 other brothers that are pilots
How many events do you participate in a year?
6-8
Describe your ideal flight.
A nice flight across a lake with some splash and dashes involved.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Never flown a parachute-top balloon before, so took this one for a test flight. The pilot, showing me how nice they are, wanted to show me how quickly they stop. He pulled the parachute out on landing, and we skidded across asphalt on the side of the basket. He looked at me and said, “looks like you just bought this balloon."
7th Inning Stretch
Sponsored by: Tyler Athletic Fields
Pilot: Jake Tyler
Balloon Name:
7th Inning Stretch
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Tyler Athletic Fields is an athletic field construction and maintenance company. 7th Inning Stretch features the company name on 3 sides with a baseball for the parachute top. After spending 25 years working as a groundskeeper in professional baseball, the name came pretty easy!
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
30+ Years
What got you started?
Aviation runs deep in our family. Ballooning came about in the mid-90s when a fellow airline transport pilot introduced us to the wonderful world of hot air balloons.
How many events do you participate in a year?
5
Describe your ideal flight.
We love landing in neighborhoods on sunset flights, sharing the colorful world of ballooning with everyone, and enjoying sunset fellowship. Capping it off with a champagne toast!
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Our most memorable flight will always be flying the French ambassador of the Philippines over the volcanos in Pampanga, Philippines.
Night Fury
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Erik Eaton
Balloon Name:
Night Fury
How did you choose and name your balloon?
From the movie how to Train Your Dragon
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
35 years
What got you started?
Was asked to help a neighbor and fell in love with the sport
How many events do you participate in a year?
10-12
Describe your ideal flight.
Easy going 5 mph with a little contour flying is allowed.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
I landed Peanut, our special-shaped balloon, on top of a construction site and my crew was not able to get to me due to large mounds of dirt. A loader construction driver offered to make a road to get my crew to me for pack-up.
Oompaloompa
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Curtis Simonye
Balloon Name:
Oompaloompa
How did you choose and name your balloon?
To make it simple, I used the first thing that came to mind. You know “the voices in my head."
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
45 Years
What got you started?
Cliff notes... My first ride was a birthday gift, and then I bought a balloon and learned to fly it
Describe your ideal flight?
From a sunny verdant valley up and over snow-capped peaks to another sunny and lush valley with gentle breezes down low and favorable winds aloft. Landing at a friend's house.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
It’s always the next flight.
Shenanigans!
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Elizabeth McClurg
Balloon Name: Shenanigans!
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Well, I went back and forth between a few, but in the end Shenanigans just fit. It fits my crew and me well. We like to have fun and bring joy with us.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
4 Years
What got you started?
A good friend of mine found out he needed a serious medical pro that would stop him from crewing for 8-12 weeks, he asked if I'd be willing to come learn. I said sure and crewed for the first time on January 31, 2021, it was 4 degrees! I got to fly with the pilot for part of the ride and had a wonderful experience with the group. I crewed for that pilot and several others over the next few months and that was it. I did in May of 2021, bought my balloon in July and took my written exam in October. I started lessons the following May and took my private check ride in September of 2022.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
My most interesting balloon story would be my first time flying in West Virginia. It was my first time flying at varying altitudes, and it was a real experience. Learning how the balloon responded differently and how the winds changed differently was something I was excited to experience and learn. My sponsor had me fly two riders each flight, which was another first for me in event experience. I had successful and fun flights and realized I was capable of understanding and reading different winds, which I was a little concerned about prior to the event. It was a really great time.
Pilot: Elizabeth McClurg
Balloon Name: Shenanigans!
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Well, I went back and forth between a few, but in the end Shenanigans just fit. It fits my crew and me well. We like to have fun and bring joy with us.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
4 Years
What got you started?
A good friend of mine found out he needed a serious medical pro that would stop him from crewing for 8-12 weeks, he asked if I'd be willing to come learn. I said sure and crewed for the first time on January 31, 2021, it was 4 degrees! I got to fly with the pilot for part of the ride and had a wonderful experience with the group. I crewed for that pilot and several others over the next few months and that was it. I did in May of 2021, bought my balloon in July and took my written exam in October. I started lessons the following May and took my private check ride in September of 2022.
Tooty Frooty
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Brad Burdue
Balloon Name:
Tooty Frooty
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Because it is all the colors of the rainbow and reminded us of the candy.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
20 Years
What got you started?
Maintaining balloons first. Traded maintenance for balloon flight lessons.
How many events do you participate in a year?
8
Describe your ideal flight?
Calm winds with lots of spare crew. It makes for soft landings and a better party after the flight.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
We took off with the intention to land on the Roche de Boeuf bridge in Waterville OH. After we planned and took off, the winds were not as predicted. We dropped down below the tree line and found a wind running up the river which put where we needed, and we landed on the bridge. Made for great pictures and a YouTube video.
Arrhythmia
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Richard Cusick
Balloon Name:
Arrhythmia
How did you choose and name your balloon?
That was the name that the original Arrhythmia came with.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
45 Years
What got you started?
A local pilot used my yard to launch a balloon. That got us crewing.
How many events do you participate in a year?
4 or 5
Describe your ideal flight.
Launch, and then have the winds bring me back to my original launch site.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Took my daughter and her boyfriend for a flight when he proposed to her. She said yes, and their 15-year-old son will be a pilot also.
Blacksail
Sponsored by:
TBA
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Pilot: Jordan Cox
Balloon Name:
Blacksail
How did you choose and name your balloon?
It was my brother's first balloon; he named it and when I bought it from him, I kept the name.
What got you started?
My family helped crew for a local pilot starting when I was 2.5 years old.
How many events do you participate in a year?
10-12
Describe your ideal flight.
I would love to fly in Cappadocia turkey.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
A couple years ago I went on a 30-day balloon trip and got to fly in the Rio Grande Gorge in Taos, Albuquerque, and Gallup, New Mexico; Sedona, Arizona; and Page, Arizona, and finished up with the Kubicek adventure tour in Utah.
Good Question
Sponsored by: HotelsOnClark.com
Pilot: Zach Burgess
Balloon Name:
Good Question
How did you choose and name your balloon?
When people ask what the name of our balloon is, we respond, "Good question!"
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
Flying for 19 years
What got you started?
Local hot air balloon festival in Ashland, OH www.ashlandballoonfest.com.
How many events do you participate in a year?
10
Describe your ideal flight.
65-degree morning, right at sunrise, steerable winds.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
Flying the American Flag for the National Anthem at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
High Ryes
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Chris Raskob
Balloon Name:
High Ryes
How did you choose and name your balloon?
High Ryes is named after our dog that we had when we ordered the balloon. She passed away unexpectedly from a rare form of cancer while we were waiting for it to be built.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
35 years since my first lesson; I've been around it longer
What got you started?
I grew up in Albuquerque, NM, where my uncle is a pilot. He owned two balloons at the time and started teaching me when I was in middle school.
How many events do you participate in a year?
5 or 6
Describe your ideal flight.
45 minutes to an hour long, with friends or family on board. I enjoy flights that offer good steering and unique sights to see along the way.
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
There are too many to pick a favorite... The most memorable was when I landed in a cut hay field and was met by an older gentleman and his grand daughter. They had a plate of pancakes and bacon for me. The little girl and her grandfather had watched us land behind their house. She told him "they came to have breakfast with us." She insisted on greeting me with a plate of pancakes, and so that's what they did. Perhaps the most memorable plate of pancakes I'll ever have.
REMAX
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Mike Lorentz
Balloon Name:
REMAX
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Remax is one of the top 10 most recognizable logos in the world. It’s only fitting for their balloon to have the name ReMax.
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
10 Years
What got you started?
Crewing for another pilot
How many events do you participate in a year? 8
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
I got to fly a giant crab at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. It is unbelievable how crazy the crowd went when the balloon lifted off.
Describe your ideal flight.
Slow on the surface and fast up high. That makes landing and takeoff easy but lets you go places.
Ezy Ryder
Sponsored by: TBA
Pilot: Michael O'Brien
Balloon Name: Ezy Ryder
How did you choose and name your balloon?
Believe it or not, I found my balloon on Facebook Marketplace! As far as naming it, I wanted to keep the name something related to the horses on the balloon, and I was listening to the Jimi Hendrix song, and it just felt like a good fit, and "Ezy Ryder" it became!
How long have you been involved in ballooning?
15 years
What got you started?
I got started in ballooning by coming to a local balloon festival in Midland, MI. Watching the balloons built my curiosity in the sport, which led to meeting and helping pilots. When I finished school, I got serious about the hobby and purchased my first balloon and began training.
How many events do you participate in a year?
10
Describe your ideal flight.
My ideal flight is a nice cool morning—between 50 and 60 degrees—with light wind and clear visibility! These peaceful, beautiful mornings are what keep me coming back!
What is your most interesting ballooning story?
I have been known to take off with the keys to the chase vehicle inside the basket. For most pilots, it only happens once. I wish I could say the same!
Shenanigans!
Sponsored by: TBA
