So, you're standing at the fire warming your hands, sipping hot chocolate and chatting with your friends.  Your topic is the Holiday Balloon Fest and you are saying this:

Overheard at the Fireside:

• Our first Holiday Balloon Fest trip was in 2005, and now we look forward to it every year. The kids love it...and so do the adults. It is becoming a family tradition for us. We even get our extended family members to meet there from across Michigan. It's a wonderful family event! Thanks!!! -  Marla Blackmond 2007
   

• The Michigan Cat team will be handing out hats and mittens to children who need them at the glow. If anyone would like to add to our donation, please let us know. This will be our 4th year and one thing that has touched our hearts is the children. So many of them are not properly dressed. They so want to be out by the balloons and it tears our hearts out to see them shivering. So, I know balloonists and their families. We would like to see that every child has a hat and mittens if they don't already have one. Thanks in advance for all of your support. Balloonists are the greatest. - Karen & Paul Panzegrau, MI Cat Balloon 2007
   

• I'm part of Ken Myers (#66)crew, Our first trip to this rally was a great experience for me. The interaction of community & your group was wonderful to see, as was seeing my first wheelchair accessible basket. The weather may not have been kind to the pilots, but we had SO much fun, especially with the 'other'Ken Myer. Good luck in all your endeavors and my calendar is marked for the next HBF (& the one after that, too). - Barb Andreas 2006
   

• Of all the balloon rallies we attend every year, its always hbf that my kids get so excited about! so much  fun!I can't wait to bring the new balloon to Battle Creek! It will look so beautiful glowing in Kellogg's parking lot! - Mike Nelson 2006
   
• Once again a terrific time was had by the entire crew of Michigan Cat balloon. I think a big thank you should go to Mr. David Wheeler. He was our Santa on Saturday night. Dave has become a great crew member and dressed as Santa out of the goodness of his heart. He really enjoys it. I am sure we can count on Dave next year also to step up and be Santa again. A bit THANK YOU to him from all of us. Please pass the word and I am sure he made many children smile as well as adults. Looking forward to 2006. - Karen Panzegrau, crew for the cat
   
• This was my first time at HBF and I loved it! My beautiful girlfriend and I loved looking out the window seeing the balloons float by. Thanks for the great memories! - Neil Mi 2005
   
• Once again we had a fantastic time at this year's balloon festival. Derrick and your staff and volunteers did a super job again! I have received many many compliments on the sweatshirts this year. I think the dark green is very festive with the monogram. How about red next year? Also just want to mention, many people in the Grand Rapids area wish that the balloon festival was publicized more. Thank you all for a wonderful weekend. We will be there in 2006!!  - Karen Panzegrau, super crew for the Michigan Cat balloon. - 2005
   
• 2005 HBF was so much fun. You meet so many great people, and you also get to make a lot of children happy. I am a student pilot and I've only been crewing at the HBF, but it is still just amazing how many people come out in the cold just to see the balloons. I did something different this year and dressed up as a bear. I got a lot of pictures taken with kids and it like the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. Derrick and Jon do a great job in putting all of this together and I can not wait to fofor when the time comes and I can fly at the HBF. I am so looking forward to the 2006 HBF! Thank you Derrick and Jon who put on this amazing balloon fest, and a big thank you to all those who help make it possible. Happy Holidays!  - Ashley 2005
   

• WOW!!! 2004 was such a wonderful time! My kids have been asking for the last year, "when are we going back to Battle Creek?" It was so family oriented. We want to thank everyone who was involved with HBF! See you in 2005- Mike Nelson
   

• "THANK YOU"...are the simple words that come to mind to express the dedication & commitment that all the Board, Chair, Committee members, Sponsors & Volunteers devote to this event.  I'm proud & delighted to work with each one of you to share in the same vision and to truly stand by our mission for this event, which is to bring Family-Fun to downtown Battle Creek.  We are unique, being the only winter balloon event in Michigan, and one of Michigan's largest balloon events based on the number of balloons & pilots!  "THANK YOU" again and I look forward to working with you all again for 2005 as we host our 7th Annual Holiday Balloon Fest, December 2,3,4! -
  Derrick J. Jones, Holiday Balloon Fest, Inc. Executive Director
   

• The sponsorship was outstanding again this year. We are so proud to be affiliated.
  Lets not forget the volunteers, some of the best in the world. Awesome...just awesome!
  I can hardly wait until next year. - Eric Wilson
   

• This was our first experience at a race. We had the time of our lives. Everyone was so kind and helpful. We are very impressed and hope to attend each and every year. Every fellow balloonist, crew member, and volunteer went over and above the call to be helpful and informative. Thanks for a great weekend!!!
  - Paul and Karen Panzegrau, crew for Rick Kerber
   

• "The 2003 HBF was a huge blast, but this year was even more of a spectacular event. The weather cooperated for some great flying, we had a very eager audience at the school demonstration, and the weekend was overall a great success. Because the competitive flying was secondary to having an awesome time, I've never had so much fun losing! Hope to see everyone soon... :) "  - Jon Radowski

• "My very first year as a Merrymaker. I will never forget the fun and friendship and learning about Ballooning, it was GREAT. I hope to be allowed the extreme privilege to return next year to learn more and have more FUN. Thank you HBF Committee for having me this year. See ya next year." - Allen Firestine Dec 2004
   

• "Last year we wondered how we could top the event we worked so hard for as a special 5th year anniversary, then we did it.  Our education program was enhanced many-fold by Glenn O'Connell's "in-balloon" presentation; the word-of-mouth should do wonders for schools who have not yet become involved.  Mike Smith's "challenge program" was also a cornerstone of this year's event and eclipsed anyone's reasonable expectations by the response of pilots and crew.  The most obvious efforts of pilots and crew to dress up their baskets and demonstrate that indeed they do have the spirit of this event figured out was as obvious as it gets; addition of a rule to provide points for "children in the basket" was a great fun-multiplier.  Never have so many given to so many for so many good reasons and felt so good about it!"  HBF Grinch  Dec 2004
   

• "This looks like fun. Can I help?"   D. Jacobson 2004
  (Sure! Go to the Volunteer page and let us know.)
   

• "Can you believe that someone could ring a pole with a Christmas wreath?  That is great flying!  What will Santa drop down the chimney this year?" - M. Jayne 2004