Our View: Hot Air Affair offers fun this weekend

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This weekend’s 20th annual Hot Air Affair brings fun and excitement to Hudson as we head into February and the home stretch of winter. The 20th anniversary, of course, is a remarkable milestone for the group of volunteers who stage the event each year.

The Hot Air Affair offers a pleasant oasis as we await spring and endure the final days of winter’s punch. The theme in 2008 is the “Celebrating our 20th Year…The Roaring 20’s.”

The Hot Air Affair has become the largest winter balloon rally in the Midwest, and this weekend’s event promises to bring plenty of people to our community.

The list of activities continues to grow each year. Some of the more popular events include the balloon launches on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Saturday afternoon. The Saturday night moon glow always draws a big crowd. Friday night’s torchlight parade, followed by fireworks over Lakefront Park and the St. Croix River, is always a crowd pleaser too.

Some other events include dances, karaoke, bingo, smooshboard competition, pancake breakfasts, craft fair, kite display, silent auction, benefit concert, geocaching, a chili cook-off –- and much more. Be sure to check the schedule in this week’s Star-Observer.

The Hot Air Affair even has a charitable touch. A Saturday evening silent auction and benefit concert at the Best Western Hudson House Inn includes an evening of jazz from the swing era while raising funds for Turningpoint, which aids victims of domestic and sexual violence in Pierce and St. Croix counties.

The weekend involves many, many volunteers, but the core group members who have worked hard to make this weekend a success include Evy Nerbonne, Carla Timmerman, Linda White, Cindy Brown, Luke Cesnil, Marcia Edwards, Sue Elmer, Katie Jones, Daryl Jones, Evonne Jordan, John Knutson, Barb Lewis, John Lewis, Mary Martin, Ruth Peterson, Karen Watts, Marv Wenzel and Connie Wenzel.

Nerbonne, Timmerman and White have been involved in the Hot Air Affair since Day 1 and continue to be the force behind the event. It is indeed a tribute to these people who have stuck with this event as we enter the 20th year –- it takes great dedication and work to put the celebration together year after year. We tip our hat to all the volunteers, but especially to Nerbonne, Timmerman and White.

The Hot Air Affair volunteers have been working hard all year –- now we can cash in on their hard work and have fun this weekend. Have a great time!

Tags: opinion, hudson, editorial, hot, air, affair