COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – This year, the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off will run from Saturday Sept. 3 to Monday Sept. 5 in Memorial Park with brand new events.
An event called “balloons, bites, and brews” will be offered on the field at Memorial Park during Saturday and Sunday afternoon. From 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., there will be discounted items from vendors and a beer garden. There is also a 5k run being offered on Sunday, Sept. 4, and registration for that event is open now. Lastly, the event now provides an exclusive opportunity called “The Lift Off Lounge”. This provides the public with the chance to buy a $115 ticket that allows them access to the sponsors’ tent and includes food, drinks and VIP parking.
Labor Day Lift Off is an event free to the public, but this has become harder to sustain amidst rising costs.
“It’s one of the very few balloon events that’s for United States if not the world. And it’s been very well supported by the city of Colorado Springs and our committee, however the rising costs just overall for everybody and everybody’s daily life, it’s taking a toll on the event,” says Scott Appelman, Managing Partner of Hot Apple Productions. “There’s a lot that goes into this you know, obviously we have to host the 75 balloons that are going to be here so we have propane, hotels, hospitality, pilot packs to get everyone up here.”
Appelman cites these rising costs as a primary reason for the new events this year.
“We’re trying to add more products that will help drive revenue for the event, to help sustain this event on the long-term, so we can make sure that we’re keeping it the way that it’s been for the last 46 years,” Appelman states.
Labor Day Lift Off will also see the return of some balloon shape favorites, as Yoda and Darth Vader will be set to the skies again this year. New balloon shapes will also be introduced, including a pig named “Crispy Bacon”.
An estimated $9.4 million impact on the local economy for 2022 is expected for this year’s Labor Day Lift Off in Colorado Springs. That’s an estimated $2.5 million more than 2019 – which was the best year for the Labor Day Lift Off.
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