LANSING, Mich. — Looking for plans this Fourth of July weekend? Check out the Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival. The annual event is full of fun activities you and your family can enjoy like carnival rides, airshows, concerts, and fireworks.
"They can expect a lot of fun. It's a $5 parking fee and it's $10 per person. Three feet and under get in for free," said Executive Director Barbara Haluszka.
The event kicked off at the Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field on Wednesday. But the fun doesn't end until the fireworks go off on July 4.
All weekend long you can grab your blankets, lawn chairs, or tents to watch and experience one of the number one air shows in the country featuring jets, an all-woman skydiving parachute team, and the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team.
"The F-22 is an air dominance fighter. What that means is it's primarily designed to kill bad guy airplanes. It is the most maneuverable most capable fighter in the world," said Major Joshua Gunderson, F-22 Demonstration Team commander and pilot.
The team travels domestically and internationally, and, during the air shows, they push the jets to the limits.
"We'll do backflips and cartwheels. Kind of like gymnastics in the sky with an F-22," Gunderson said.
The airshows can get super loud so be prepared for that.
The event also includes a hot air balloon competition where they are competing for $15,000 worth of prize money.
"In the evening they will either fly from the field so people get to see them inflate and take off. Or they will fly into the field and we will have a target or two out in the field and the spectators can watch them actually toss their baggies trying to get as close to the center of the X as possible," Haluszka said.
There's also fair food, vendors, and a carnival full of games and rides.
Tia Brown, 13, said it feels good to be out enjoying the nice weather and having fun with her family. Her favorite part of the event is being able to get on the rides.
"I feel like it's enjoyable because they have kid rides and then they have adult rides that go upside down," Brown said.
Lindsey Newton decided to bring her kids out for a family activity.
"We haven't done anything in a while because of the whole crazy last year. So it's just nice to be outside doing something fun," Newton said. "It's super wide open and you can social distance is that's what you're looking for. It's just been awesome."
On July 4, you can enjoy amazing fireworks show choreographed to music.
For more information on this event and for the event schedule click here.
Want to see more events for the 4th of July weekend, CLICK HERE
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