While we were meandering the Cincinnati area in the fall of 2006 we saw a flier for this wonderful balloon show to benefit one of the local schools. It was loosely organized by Steven Jones, Aeration Decorations as a BalloonTownUSA project but I am having a hard time getting good links to more details. Apparently there was a show we missed in 2005 and the 2006 Farmer Floyd show was so great we made sure to get to this one which unfortunately seems to be the last. Below is the story line from the placards and pictures of the great balloon sculptures.
HEAR YE BRETHERN, YOUNG AND OLD, AND I SHALL SING A RHYME OF KINGLY REALMS AND KNIGHTS SO BOLD IN LEGENDARY TIMES.
The minstrel by Steven Jones, Aeration Decorations, Cincinnati, OH
SO GATHER ROUND AND LEND AN EAR AS I RECALL THE PLOT OF DAYS OF GLORY, PRIDE, AND FEAR IN THE LAND OF BALLOONALOT.
DARK TIMES HAVE FALLEN 'PON THE WALLS WITHIN THE KINGDOM CORNISH.
THEIR DAYS OF GLORY ENDED , ALL THEIR GOLDEN IMAGE TARNISHED
Royal Feast by Vicky Kimble, CBA Incrediballoons
Loveland, OH
A CURSE, YOU SEE, HAS PLAGUED THE LAND, A SCURGE OF FEAR AND WOE.
IT SCARS THE EARTH A BLACKENED BRAND WITH FLAMING WINDS THAT BLOW.
Windmill by Gary Ledbetter, CBA Dynamite Magic and Balloons
Montgomery, AL
OH, HELP US PLEASE
DOTH SAY THE KING. OF THIS WE DO BESEECH YOU!
WE'VE NEARLY LOST MOST EVERYTHING. SO GLAD WE ARE TO REACH YOU
A WRECHED BEAST HAS CHILLED OUR SOULS AND LEFT NO MAN A-BRAGGIN'
Garden Frog or Former Prince by Jeanine Von Essen
Croak Designs, San Jose, CA
FOR WHAT HAS TURNED OUR LANDS TO COALS IS A FIRE BREATHING DRAGON.
OH, NOBLE FOLK, WE BEG OF YOU TO FREE US FROM THIS PLIGHT. OUR KNIGHTS, ONCE MEN OF HONOR TRUE, ARE NOW TOO SCARED TO FIGHT.
THE MIGHTY DRAGON'S WRATH OF FLAME HAS BROUGHT US TO OUR KNEES. AND SO WE ASK AGAIN THE SAME. WON'T YOU HELP US? PLEASE?
AS YOU JOURNEY PAST THE GATES AND INTO MYSTERY. YOU ASK YOURSELF, WILL I BE GREAT, OR SIMPLY HISTORY?
YOUR PATH DOTH LEAD INTO THE WILD IN THE FOREST OF FANTARY. BUT HAVE NO FEAR, THE BEASTS ARE MILD AND FILL YOUR HEART WITH GLEE.
SOON YOUR JOURNEY TAKETH YOU TO A DARK AND DREARY CAVE. STRANGE LIGHTS WITHIN AND NOISES TOO; ENTER IF YE BE BRAVE.
YOUR HEART DOTH POUND, YOUR MUSCLES SWELL, YOUR TOES BEGIN TO CURL. COULD THIS BE WHERE THE DRAGON DWELLS, OR WILL OTHER FATE UNFURL?
THE MASTER OF MAGIC, THE WIZARD OFFERS YOU A CURE TO MAKE YOUR QUEST LESS TRAGIC.
HEED MY WORDS AND TAKE THIS SACK, BUT LEAVE IT BOUND AND TIGHT. UNTIL THE DRAGON YOU ATTACK. IT WILL AID YOU IN YOUR FIGHT.
Oops, I did it Again by Twaney Noreen, Tawney Bubbles, Las Vegas, NV
YOU THANK THE WIZARD FOR HIS GIFT AND CONTINUE ON YOUR PATH. YOU HOPE YOUR BATTLE WITH BE SWIFT WITHOUT THE FIERY WRATH.
THE FOREST HERE GROWS DARKER STILL. THE AIR IS THICK WITH GLOOM. THE WINDS BLOW COLD AND CAST A CHILL. YOU SENSE IMPENDING DOOM.
THIS SCORCHED EARTH YOU'VE SEEN AFORE, THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR. GATHER YE STRENGTH AS NE'ER BEFORE; THE DRAGON MUST BE NEAR.
LIGHTLY TREAD BUT VENTURE HARD FOR WE KNOW THE BEAST BE VICIOUS. YOU DO NOT WANT TO DROP YOUR GUARD FOR THEN YOU'LL BE....DELICIOUS!
ALAS, THE DRAGON'S LAIR YOU'VE FOUND. AND SO IT COMES TO THIS. YOUR EARS A-SHUDDER WITH THE SOUNDS OF ROARS AND SNARLS AND HISS.
THE FLAMES SHOOT HIGH AND LOW AND BACK AS THE BEAST PREPARES TO FIGHT. BUT TO DEFEND YOU GRAB THE SACK AND OPEN IT JUST RIGHT.
SUDDENLY, THE BEAST GROWS STILL, IT'S TEMPER GONE, NOW PLACID. FOR WHAT WAS IN THE SACK WERE PILLS, A BOTTLE OF ANTACID!
Dragon by Guido Verhoef, CBA Manifold Balloons
Zutphen, The Netherlands
OH THANK YOU FRIEND!
THE DRAGON CRIES. THESE PILLS I WILL THEE SUP. FOR HEARTBURN HURTS, OH MY, OH MY, ALONG WITH MY HICCUPS!
I'M REALLY NOT AN EVIL BEAST; i'M REALLY VERY NICE. BUT HICCUPS, SEE, WOULD NEVER CEASE, AND I BURNT THINGS....ONCE OR TWICE.
One of the things they were trying to accomplish with this show is set a new Guinness World Record for balloon sculptures. The rules are a little weird in that you can only count round balloons above a certain size. I don't know if they actually got the record but I contributed almost 400 pictures to help support this effort. I really really wish they could do more.