Early morning risers should look to the skies south of Winthrop this weekend as hot air balloonists from around the Northwest once again gather for the 22nd annual Winthrop Balloon Roundup. And bring your cameras. The event, free to spectators, is Friday through Sunday (March 1-3). All balloon launches are early in the morning of […]
Hot Air Balloons
Balloon Roundup will turn valley skies into riot of color
Kurt Oakley’s introduction to hot air ballooning was as a “chaser” — part of the ground crew that follows a balloon to where it lands and helps pack it up.
Then he got off the ground for a balloon ride. Not long after that he had his own balloon.
Get ready for some ‘balloonacy’
About this time of year, Kurt Oakley cheerfully describes himself as a “balloonatic” in preparation for the annual Winthrop Balloon Roundup, a three-day festival celebrating the uplifting qualities of hot air.
Oakley and his wife, Melinda, owners of …
