INDIANAPOLIS — This July, Conner Prairie takes to the skies with its new Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival. Once dark falls on the evening of Thursday, July 15, the sky over Conner Prairie will be illuminated by the visual spectacle of 17 glowing hot air balloons. On the grounds below, guests will enjoy food and beverages from Sun King Brewing Company, who will debut a custom-made, effervescent small-batch beer called Jupiter Common available only during the festival. Entertainment takes center stage with a live concert by Stella Luna and the Satellites, while younger balloon enthusiasts can catch airtime in bounce houses, and collect exclusive hot air balloon trading cards. Thursday night’s events will take place from 6-10 p.m.
The next morning (Friday, July 16) the balloons soar again at sunrise in an exciting Hare & Hound Race, where the first balloon to take flight is the “hare” and the remaining balloons are the “hounds” trying to reach a target the “hare” balloon has laid down. The race and other activities are planned from 5:30-8:30 a.m.
The fun continues throughout the weekend from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with balloon-themed activities included with general admission, such as a live bird show, a Wizard of Oz marionette puppet show, an original two-women play about the history of women in flight, kite making crafts, and more.
The event marks the official debut of Conner Prairie’s renewed 1859 Balloon Voyage exhibit, which honors the historic launch of the “Jupiter” balloon piloted by John Wise in Lafayette, Indiana, and the first successful airmail delivery in the U.S.
Admission to Jupiter Flights is free for members, but advance tickets are recommended and can be reserved online at www.connerprairie.org. Guest tickets for non-members are also available at the link for $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $10 for youth ages 2-12. Children under 2 are free.
In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be held on Thursday, July 22nd from 6 – 10 p.m.