Festival proceeds benefit education

Photo: From left, Kirk Northcutt, Olive Branch Rotary Club president Andrew Pressman, and Dave Rhylander. Northcutt and Rhylander represent the Collierville Balloon Festival and proceeds from the festival are being presented to Rotary Clubs to assist in their efforts to support education. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

Representatives of the Collierville Balloon Festival were on hand at Tuesday’s Olive Branch Rotary Club meeting to present the club with a $1,000 check to support the club’s activities to promote education.  

The check presentation was made by Kirk Northcutt and Dave Rhylander of the Collierville Balloon Festival, who are both members of the Collierville Rotary Club.  

Rhylander explained the festival’s nonprofit organizers have earmarked proceeds from the annual event to benefit area educational programs and since one of the missions of Rotary is to assist education programs and service projects, it was decided to share the proceeds with area Rotary clubs.  The Olive Branch club was one of the Rotary groups to receive funds from the festival.  

The 2023 festival, which will attract 20 hot-air balloons, and will also feature live music, food trucks, vendors, carnival  rides, and midway games, is set for the weekend of Sept. 15-17. Friday eveing, Sept. 15, will be a private party event for special needs children and families.  

The festival will also give those who come the opportunity to take a tethered balloon ride and there will also be a limited number of hot air balloon rides available.  

For more information, visit the Collierville Balloon Festival website.