Patriot Day at Warren County Farmers Fair

WARREN COUNTY-Saturday, Aug. 6 is "Patriot Day" at the 68th Annual Warren County Farmers Fair. Various patriotic events are planned for the day, with one of the highlights being free admission for active duty military personnel serving in the armed forces who attend in their uniform. Military personnel will be admitted free of charge from 5 p.m. until closing. The Warren County Marine Corps League members will be presenting the colors, and service personnel may participate in the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. in the main arena. By coming to the fair office prior to the ceremony, the name and station of service members can be announced. Other fair guests are asked to wear a red, white or blue shirt, so that from an aerial view, a giant flag will take shape on the fairgrounds. Guests wearing red, white or blue shirts are welcome to stop by the balloon tent to register for a free balloon ride. The fair features various vendors, delicious food, rides and a midway, handwork and crafts, several motorized events, animal competitions, live entertainment, horse shows, agricultural and horticultural exhibits, and one of the Fair highlights, the Hot Air Balloon Festival. For Patriot Day, the Balloon Festival will showcase the United States Flag Balloon and the Liberty Bell Balloon. The Flag Balloon flies as a testament to the fallen heroes of September 11. The balloon is 78 feet long, 53 feet high, 30 feet deep and 124,000 cubic feet in capacity. It is reported to be the largest flag balloon in the world. Find out more at www.usflagballoon.com. The Liberty Bell Balloon was created in honor of the bicentennial of the United States Constitution in 1987. Its unique shape makes it a crowd pleasing favorite and symbol of patriotic pride. It is 105 feet high and 80 feet wide. In 1994, the balloon was featured in Normandy, France, at the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Local resident and 4-H member Liam O-Brian is the lucky recipient of the 2004 Patriot Day Balloon Flight. He won two tickets from last year's raffle. This year, anyone who would like to volunteer to crew the balloons is automatically entered for a chance to win a free balloon ride. Only 25 spots are available, so interested parties should call 908-454-3431. For other balloon inquiries, call 877-4-FUN-FLY or visit balloonfestnj.com. For fair information, visit www.warrencountyfarmersfair.org or call 908-859-6563.