With their savvy sense of creative marketing strategies, Jay and Denise Hartz, owners of the Hotel Pattee in Perry, have announced their sponsorship of a hot air balloon at the 26th annual National Balloon Classic in Indianola July 24 to Aug. 1.
“We’re very excited,” said the owners of the Perry landmark. “I purchased a banner that will go around the balloon,” said Jay Hartz, “and it’ll be on that same balloon the whole nine days. It will be very visible.”
Along with their sky-high visibility as one of more than 100 sponsors of the 2015 National Balloon Classic, the Hartzes will also deploy the Hotel Pattee Dawn Patrol to serve breakfast at the event on four of its nine days.
They will be the only vendor serving breakfast at the balloon fest, Denise Hartz said.
“The Hotel Pattee balloon will be flying around with the logo, and Jay will be working in the trailer serving breakfast,” Denise Hartz said. “We want to market the town. We’re going to serve breakfast, which will be different, and also food throughout the day.”
The nine-day National Balloon Classic is expected to bring 70,000 to 90,000 visitors to Warren County to view about 80 balloons, according to organizers of the annual event. The Hartzes hope to lure many of these visitors to Perry’s unique boutique hotel during their central Iowa sojourn.
Never ones to neglect the local client base, the Hartzes will also sponsor a drawing for visitors to the Hotel Pattee, who can enter to win a free ride in the hotel’s balloon at the Indianola festival.
Denise Hartz is making a paper mache balloon to hold the entries forms.
“We’ll have three opportunities to put one of our customers or guests who wins into that balloon,” Jay Hartz said. The balloons are professionally navigated and depend on cooperative weather conditions.
“The balloons go up every day,” said Denise Hartz. Balloon rides can be taken every morning or evening during the event, weather permitting, according to the event website.
Daily balloon flights and competitions start at 6:30 a.m., and evening flights begin at 6:30 p.m. Musical entertainment appears nightly at 6 p.m.
There will be a Nite Glow Extravaganza at dusk Wednesday, July 29, a Balloon Challenge 5K race at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1 and fireworks at dusk on closing day, Saturday, Aug. 1.
Along with the daily balloon flights, races, target contests and other events, the Indianola Chamber of Commerce will host an open-air market Saturday, July 25 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Indianola Square.
The market will be held in conjunction with the National Balloon Classic’s Wacky Classic Parade and will feature artists and vendors selling handicrafts and artworks. Visitors can stroll around the square, visit the retail shops and enjoy entertainment for children and adults alike.
Admission to the event is $5 for ages 6 and older.
