Kismet’s Hot Air Balloon Festival at Black Bear Casino

The 2nd annual Sweetly Kismet’s Hot Air Balloon Festival is being held at Black Bear Casino. People can enjoy local music, tasty treats and get a chance to ride in a hot air balloon.

Jon and Ashley Parrott, the owners of Sweetly Kismet Candy Store, said hot air balloon rides depend on good weather. “When we started Kismet I wanted to figure a way to incorporate my aviation background with what we were doing at the store & hot air balloons just made sense,” Jon Parrot said.

The Parrotts reached out to several pilots to bring out more fun and themed balloons. “We are going to have a ground inflatable that kids can run around the inside,” Ashley Parrot said. “We have the Sweetly Kismet candy and merch tent, and tons of food trucks.”

Mark Spanier, a hot air balloon pilot gave some helpful advice for people nervous about going for a ride. “You don’t really feel that afraid of heights feeling when you get up there,” Spanier said. “Almost everybody remains calm and don’t get that feeling of being afraid.”

One of the teams included Freedom Flight Inc., an organization spreading awareness of P.O.W.s and soldiers missing in action.

Luke Cesnik, the president, of Freedom Flight Inc., said there are more than 80,000 soldiers missing or prisoners of war. “Not only do we fly in honor of them, but to all the family members that are still waiting for them. So it’s very important I think when it comes to those family members that are still waiting, we won’t forget and we are going to honor these people for a long time.”

The hot air balloon festival is also happening tomorrow Saturday from noon through midnight.

For more information about Kismet’s Hot Air Balloon Festival you can read more here. Also for other stories happening in Carlton County you can read more here.