Aims Community College to Host Sixth Annual Hot Air Balloon Launch
Aims Community College invites the community to the sixth annual Great Aardvark Embark balloon launch on Saturday, Sept. 30. Parking opens at 6 a.m. and the event field opens to the public at 6:30 a.m. Balloons are estimated to launch between 7 and 7:30 a.m. The event is free to attend.
Aims encourages the community to watch professional pilots from Colorado Balloon Club set up, inflate and launch. The event is held in the field north of the Cornerstone Building on the Greeley Campus, 5401 West 20th St.
Breakfast burritos will be available onsite at Arty’s Grub to Go food truck. Hal’s Coffee Truck will also be at the event serving coffee and Sally’s Cottage Treats will serve a collection of sweet selections.
“The Great Aardvark Embark is such a fun and unique event and is a great opportunity for the community to join us on our campus,” says Kelly Porter, events manager at Aims.
In addition to the balloon launch, attendees can show their artistic side with sidewalk chalk. A new activity at the event is a “Flat Arty” contest. Kids can take home an image of Arty the Aardvark, the Aims mascot, and share where he landed on his balloon ride via social media, using the hashtag #AardvarkEmbark. Judges will select a winner based on the coolest place Arty landed and award a collection of special Aims branded items.
Aims Community College values the safety of all campus visitors and will follow state and local safety guidelines. Please keep the following in mind:
- This event is weather-dependent. Weather conditions may alter launch times and event status. Aims staff will post event day conditions and updates on the event page at events.aims.edu.
- Please follow parking signs and park legally. Parts of Winograd Lane (inside the Aims Campus) will be closed for pedestrian safety.
- Smoking and vaping are not permitted at the event.
- Participants are not allowed to fly drones at the event.
- Please leave your pets at home; only service animals are permitted.
- No overnight parking is allowed.
- Hot air balloon rides will not be offered, sold or given away.
- Attendees are open to sit where they would like in the fields. Please be aware that you might need to move when the balloons start moving.
- To request accommodations for this event, call 970.339.6388 or email disabilities@aims.edu.
Visit events.aims.edu for additional information on this and other community events at Aims Community College.