Conner Prairie climbs to new heights
with historical balloon voyage experience

History is not only alive at Conner Prairie Inter-active History Park in Fishers, Ind., but it is on the move.

Long renowned for its living history programs with historical buildings and costumed interpreters who demonstrate frontier life, the park now immerses visitors in Indiana’s aviation history with its 1859 Balloon Voyage. In the $2.2 million exhibit, guests soar 350 feet in a tethered balloon.

The exhibit details the August 1859 launch of a manned balloon by pioneer aviator John Wise. He took off from nearby Lafayette, Ind., bound for New York with a load of mail but landed just 27 miles south.

Before boarding the balloon at the park, guests first experience Lafayette in 1859 on the day Wise launched. They also experiment with miniature balloons to learn the science of ballooning.

The experience culminates with a voyage on the helium-filled balloon, which can carry up to 20 guests on trips that last 10 to 15 minutes. Rides are offered daily through October depending on the weather; call or check the park’s Web site to find out if the balloon is flying. Flights will resume in the spring after a winter hiatus.

Fishers is located just northwest of Indianapolis. Balloon flights are $15, but a $5 coupon is available at participating BP am/pm stores. For details, call (800) 966-1836, or visit www.connerprairie.org.

 

History echoes loudly at Victorian Festival

With exciting duels, stagecoach robberies and Civil War battles, the Jersey County Victorian Festival will transform history from humdrum to hair-raising.

This year’s festival, Sept. 5–7, will immerse visitors in the mid-1800s with re-enactors and artisans shining a light on southern Illinois’ history. Held at historical Hazel Dell Farm near Jerseyville, the festival will feature sights, sounds and smells that rekindle the past.

President and Mrs. Lincoln will discuss the events leading up to the Civil War, and Abe will recount the Gettysburg Address. Visitors can tour the historical Fulkerson Mansion and Confederate and Union camps, as well as watch a daily battle featuring Civil War cavalry, artillery and infantry.

For more excitement, the Duel of Honor between two civilian gentlemen will take place daily. There also will be stagecoach and surrey rides, as well as a daily stagecoach robbery by the James Gang.

Working artisans will showcase their skills by selling crafts and presenting demonstrations in such arts as woodcarving, pottery and blacksmithing. Demonstrations also will highlight the region’s agricultural past, including steam-powered threshing machines and working antique tractors.

Plenty of food will be available for purchase, and visitors will enjoy live bluegrass music.

Hazel Dell Farm is located one mile north of Jerseyville on U.S. Route 67. Admission is $8 for adults, $2 for children and free for those under 6. Festival hours are 7 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. For details, call (618) 498-5590, or visit www.greatriverroad.com.

Cyclists will compete again in thrilling race across Missouri

From the Ozark foothills to bucolic farms to city streets, the Tour of Missouri will test riders on all types of terrain as they race from one side of the state to the other, giving thousands of Missourians a chance to enjoy the cycling spectacle.

A political dispute earlier this year over how the tour would be funded nearly cancelled the professional bicycle race, but with that resolved, the struggle now will be on the streets of Missouri from Sept. 7–13 as riders from around the world compete to be named champion. One of the largest bicycle races on American soil, the Tour of Missouri features 15 teams with eight riders each.

An estimated 400,000 people saw last year’s race. In its third year, the meteoric rise of the event has spurred the International and National Federation for Cycling to recognize the Tour of Missouri as one of the Top Five ranked events outside of Europe.

For the first time this year, the tour route will run from east to west, starting in St. Louis and finishing in Kansas City, covering more than 600 miles. The past two years, the race routed west to east.

Kansas City and St. Louis will host circuit courses, where riders will compete in exciting races in their downtown areas. There also will be individual time trials in Sedalia and four point-to-point races, including: Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau; Farmington to Rolla; St. James to Jefferson City; and Chillicothe to St. Joseph.

Each city will host festivities as the race makes its way through the communities. Spectators will line the route and cheer on the riders, taking in the pageantry and thrill of the competition.

For more race details, visit www.tourofmissouri.com.