Press Release

For Immediate Release                                                Run With Photo

Caption:  Giant, 7-story hot air balloons “glow” while tethered on the ground at dusk during last summer’s RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival

Nassau Bay New RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Partner

Nassau Bay (Houston), TX –May 18, 2007 –The City of Nassau Bay, traditional  hometown of the astronauts, engineers and scientists who continue to fulfill mankind’s dream of space flight, has joined the RE/MAX® Ballunar Liftoff Festival as Presenting Partner. Houston’s most exciting and entertaining outdoor summer family festival (November 2nd-4th) features humans’ earliest form of powered flight-the hot air balloon-along with the technological marvels of modern space travel in a weekend-long, end-of-summer educational event.

“We’re ecstatic to have the City of Nassau Bay aboard in this capacity,” said balloon pilot Steve Lombardi, co-founder of the festival, now celebrating its 15th season. “A partner of the festival since its earliest days, Nassau Bay has always been at the center of the Space Program, and since our festival is on the grounds of the NASA/Johnson Space Center, it’s a natural fit.  Ballunar could not exist without the extraordinary community and volunteer support we’ve enjoyed here over the years, and we’re excited about Nassau Bay helping us present the story of mankind’s fascination with flight to our largest audience yet.”

At only $10 per car load admission, and with free on-site parking at the Johnson Space Center, the festival features approximately 100 giant hot air balloons piloted by the world’s most skilled aerial navigators.  Morning mass ascensions and evening glows are punctuated by daylong skydiving exhibitions, para-gliders & hang-gliders, all set in a carnival atmosphere with food, crafts, a Midway with rides, and ongoing live musical entertainment.   

“The festival is really a terrific partnership that promotes area tourism, and gives us an opportunity to demonstrate the Bay Area’s robust economy, and our unique blending of commerce, culture, and high technology business,” Lombardi added.  

A NASA mini-tour on Saturday is a special festival highlight, providing a close-up look at the space station mock-ups and astronaut training facilities, with real NASA Astronauts signing autographs!

“You might see one of your Astronaut neighbors,” Lombardi commented.  “Since Nassau Bay was built to accommodate the Manned Spaceflight Center, more local citizens have probably been to outer space and walked on the moon than from any other community.”

The non-profit RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival sprouted wings in 1992  to commemorate the 200th anniversary of manned flight in America, and has grown into a hallmark end-of-summer event that encourages young people’s interest in math and science through the study of aeronautics.

“The festival kicks off Friday evening at 6:00 with an amazing skydiving presentation, a mass balloon glow at dusk and air sports activities all weekend,” Lombardi said. “Get the kids and your camera, and join us for the most exciting way to end the summer.”

For more information, directions, and schedule of events, visit www.ballunarfestival.com.

The RE/MAX franchise network is a global real estate system with more than 6,900 independently owned offices engaging 120,000 member sales associates who lead the industry in professional designations, experience and production while providing real estate services in residential, commercial, referral, relocation, and asset management.  Local community involvement is important to RE/MAX members who participate in thousands of local charitable causes and have raised more than $75 million for Children’s Miracle Network. RE/MAX is also a major sponsor of the Komen Race for the Cure Survivor Program. For more information visit www.remax.com.
Ballunar Liftoff Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its mission is to help the public learn about aviation and space exploration, and to sponsor and fund educational activities that encourage young people to learn about aviation and space and to study mathematics and the sciences.