Come to Post Mills for hot air balloons and more
Written by Tina Foster
We know summer is coming at Post Mills Airport when the gliders come out of storage and reappear on the runway. Several weeks later, balloonists convene for the Experimental Balloon and Airship Association gathering held annually on the third weekend of May — the 15th, 16th, and 17th of this month.
The EBAA was founded by Brian Boland as a way to bring together people who build their own balloons and airships for a weekend of camaraderie and flying. Only homebuilt or “experimental” balloons can participate, and most of the pilots are also the designers and builders of their aircraft. Ballooning takes place when the air is still, early morning and early evening, so launch times will be approximately 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings), though sometimes we are waiting for the fog to lift or for the winds to die down. Ideally, winds should be very calm, and pilots need to be able to land before the daytime winds pick up if launching in the morning or before dark if flying in the evening. The last couple years the weather has been terrible, with rain and thunder and wind. We are hoping for a break this year! Safety is paramount, so while we hate to disappoint people who’ve come out to see the balloons launch, sometimes it’s just not a good idea.
As always, the public is welcome. We do try to keep the runway clear during the middle of the day to accommodate any planes that might be coming through. Attendees can park along the road or in the field across the street from the end of the runway. All pets must be leashed. The Museum of Rusty Dusty Stuff will be open for visitors; we ask that kids have an adult with them. Many of the Museum artifacts are old and delicate in addition to being dusty, so climbing, touching, etc. are not allowed. Similarly, many of the structures outside are rickety and not secure, so please no climbing.
And it's not just balloons. Caring Communities Preschool in Post Mills will be serving food Friday and Saturday evenings, and breakfast will be available on Saturday and possibly Sunday. The Grey Cats, a fantastic band that joined us last year, will be performing again on Saturday evening, and we have some other special treats in the works.
Post Mills has a lot going on this summer! A number of events are associated with Thetford’s SemiQuinCentennial (250th) Celebration. The Post Mills Congregational Church is currently a “talking building” – tune your radio to AM 1600 as you drive by (or pull over to near the whole recording) and you can hear Post Mills resident Doug Hadlock talk about the history of the church. Other sites and buildings will learn to talk as well as we move into the summer, so stay tuned.
The Post Mills church will also host the return of its popular beanhole supper on August 15th, with music provided by the Lyme Town Band. The Labor Day Parade will be back on September 7th. We’re hoping for another great turnout. With the generous support of individual donors and a grant from the Vermont Arts Council to the Brian J Boland Memorial Foundation, we have set aside funds for each of Thetford’s villages to use in creating a float for the parade, so we are looking forward to some spectacular entries.
There are plenty of other SQC events taking place around Thetford. Save the date to join us on the green in Thetford Center on June 20 for a celebration with storytelling, games, an art exhibit, food, vendors, and an auction. Historical dress is welcome!
If you are interested in hearing more about the SQC celebration events, check out our website at ThetfordVTSQC@weebly.com. And there’s room for more! If you want to help plan, or have a great idea, email us at thetfordsqc@gmail.com.