80s Bands, Balloons, Beer & Wines Draws Travel Blogger Back To This LA Event
It is that time of the year again where it won’t be just me that’s filled with hot air at a weekend event.
Instead, I’ll be sharing that will actual hot air balloons as I am returning to – and reporting on – the Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival. The 2018 event is June 1-3 and it’s held at the Lake Skinner Recreation Area outside of Temecula in Southern California.
Ahh, Southern California sunshine and wine. That’s a very good pairing.
It will be my fourth time at the event. Last year, for the first time, my video photographer Chris and I went on Friday instead of arriving Saturday. He wanted to see the 80s bands on Friday nite, in particular the opening act of Gene Loves Jezebel. My musical highlight came Saturday with the Gin Blossoms.
This year, Sugar Ray is the headliner on Saturday, but as with all festivals with live music, maybe there’s another band that will have me rocking out that I don’t currently anticipate; such is the thing when bands play at festivals and elements like wine (there’s also beer here) is involved in the process of enjoyment.
And that’s what’s so cool about this event; it’s so casual you just wander around and do what comes to you at the moment, be it doing a “tour” of the different Temecula wineries by stopping for pours and conversations at their tasting booths, getting a beer and walking around to meet other people, cruising with beer or wine through the massive merchandize expo or catching a band.
Of course, there are are the balloons, too. The rides are long snatched up by the time we arrive – they are waaayyy too early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday for me anyway – yet I’m happy to wake up in the campground and look up to see them fill the blue sky.
It’s quite the visual spectacle. They look like colored dots slowly moving through the cool morning air.
The closest I get to them is pretty close, at the nightly “glow” in which the owners bring in their balloons into the festival grounds and fire up those fire-producing engines. From a distance, it truly looks as if they are glowing.
And yes, we camp out; this is the best way to do this festival if you ask me. When we get back at night, I grab a couple of beers and set in search of a campfire to join by a motorhome. I never fail to find one.
This being said, I’m not a particularly great camper. A friend loans me his tent and while it’s easy to put up, I usually wind up having to re-do it two or three times and sleeping is more or less by default rather than in lavish comfort.
There’s is one thing on our schedule and I’m really looking forward to it, a food and beer pairing with the chef of Pechanga Resort & Casino, which is located in Temecula (I suspect this would be a good place to stay if camping out is not your style).
If you can’t be there, then check PubClub’s Twitter and Instagram accounts for fun and frequent social media postings.
Related Posts On The Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival
• Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival First-Timers Guide
• For The Singles: A Guide To the Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival
• Everything You Need To Know To Attend The Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival
Temecula Wine & Balloon Festival Fast Facts
• Tickets: Friday – $23 advance, $30 gate. Saturday – $33 & 40. Sunday, $23 & 30. Note this is admission only; you buy tickets for wines and beers inside the festival.
• Address & Location; 37701 Warren Road Winchester, CA
• Website: www.tvbwf.com
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