EVENT PREVIEW
Owl-O-Ween 2015
6-11 p.m. Oct. 23 and 4-11 p.m. Oct. 24. Tickets: $15 for adults and 12 and over; $8 for ages 3-12 and free for under 3. A special VIP package that includes dinner, four drink tickets and extra access is $75 per person. Kennesaw State Sports and Entertainment Park, 3200 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw. www.owl-o-ween.com.
Note: Tethered hot air balloon rides are $10 per person and are first-come, first served.
A week before Halloween, there will be a stunning reason to look up at the skies above Kennesaw.
Ghosts? Witches?
Nope.
Instead, you can see the beauty and imposing spectacle of hot air balloons at the third annual Owl-O-Ween Festival, hosted by Kennesaw State University. It will take place Oct. 23-24 at Kennesaw State's Sports and Entertainment Park.
Owl-O-Ween is not only Atlanta’s only annual hot air balloon festival, but it’s also a way to jump-start your Halloween holiday with trick-or-treating right from the balloons (while they’re on the ground, of course), tethered balloon rides for $10, live entertainment, food trucks and an Oktoberfest beer garden. Kennesaw State’s Department of Foreign Languages’ German Studies students will make sure everything in the German beer garden is kept authentic.
“The highlight of each night are the glow shows, where the balloons light up and are visible from the street and stadium,” explained Maggie Gendernalik, assistant director of the Sports and Entertainment Park at Kennesaw State. “The glow shows will start around 8 p.m. depending on weather. Three separate shows will be held throughout the night at 8, 8:45 and 9:50.”
Gendernalik said the 9:50 glow show each night will be a grand finale of sorts, with a light show, the balloons lit up over Kennesaw and surprises thrown in. At least six balloons are expected this year with the return of the popular “Jack-O’-Lantern” balloon and new additions with Looney Tunes’ Sylvester and Tweety balloons.
Show organizers advise those looking to take tethered hot air balloon rides to get in line early. These tethered rides will take enthusiasts up to 75 feet in the air and offer a bird’s-eye view of the KSU campus and the greater Kennesaw area.
“With Owl-O-Ween being two nights, we expect as many as 50,000 people for the two nights,” said Andrew Miller, president of Promotions Marketing and a promoter of the event. “To keep things fresh, we try to rotate the balloons each year.”
Also new for 2015 are the Oktoberfest Craft Beer garden, where libations will be served throughout the grounds to those 21 and over as part of their Friday night “date night” theme; free arts and crafts for the kids; and a costume contest where attendees will submit their entries via social media posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #OOW15. You can visit the Merchant Marketplace to become acquainted with local small businesses and pick up one-of-a-kind Halloween decorations this year in the Artist Alley.
Back by popular demand are the jugglers and the Owl-O-Ween Costume Pole Vault Exhibition. Where else can you see costumed pole vaulters attempting to clear heights for charity? The exhibition is open to all USA Track and Field members with an entry fee of $10. Athletes can participate each day and must bring their own poles and unique costumes. Proceeds benefit the Golden Soldiers Inc., which provides services for families and individuals with developmental disabilities.
Those with an appreciation for art will love the world-famous pumpkin carvers from Villafane Studios in Arizona. These extreme pumpkin carvers have made appearances on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and the Syfy Channel showing off their 3-D jack-o'-lanterns and trolls.
Parking will be allowed in the Black, Gold, Gray and Green lots off Busbee Drive and Big Shanty Road on the KSU campus. All lots are an easy walk to the balloons and the fun. ATM machines will be scattered around the festival grounds, and no pets other than service animals will be admitted.
