The Up in the Air Balloon Fair is a proposed 2-day festival at Van Vleck Ranch featuring hot air balloons, food, wine and entertainment. The event aims to showcase the local community and inspire a sense of localism. Arizona Events Group has experience producing similar balloon festivals and is interested in coordinating this event. Research found the target market in the area enjoys cultural events, food and wine. The event could benefit the ranch, community and charitable causes.

1. Van Vleck Ranch
UP IN THE AIR:
Balloon Fair
TEAM LOUIE
Bonnie McDonald, Irene Ouyang, Jake Hickman,
Kat Porter, Mallory McNulty, Mattie Work, Paula Kreider
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
RPTA 420: Festival and Special Events
Dr. Lin
Spring 2016

2. Section 1: Overview of the Event … 3-4
Section 2: Logic Model … 4-5
Section 3: Research Conducted on ​Similar Events … 5-6
Section 4: Company Interest … 6-7
Section 5: Case Study - Arizona Balloon Classic … 7
Section 6: Target Market … 8-16
Section 7: SWOT Analysis … 9-10
Section 8: Choose Up in the Air … 11
Section 9: Contact Nanette Duncan … 12
Section 10: Appendix … 13-18
Section 11: References . . . 19
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3. Section 1: Overview of the Event
The Up in the Air Balloon Fair is an annual 2-day festival that offers unique entertainment, beautiful hot
air balloon flights, a kid’s faire, arts and crafts, along with a large selection of local beer, wine, and food.
This event focuses on featuring the community of Rancho Murieta by featuring beer, wine, and food
vendors from the local area. The wine and beer tasting will feature well-known wineries and breweries
from other parts of the Northern California region as well.
This event will appeal to those living in the greater Sacramento area and has the potential to draw
visitors from other parts of the state as well. Who wouldn’t want to take a trip to the country and get
away from all of the hustle and bustle for a relaxing day of fun?
With festival admission you will be able to observe the beautiful sunrise balloon launch, take a tethered
balloon ride, and even enjoy the evening balloon glow. There will be a wide variety of additional
activities and entertainment such as music, food, games, and other attractions. At Up in the Air, there
will be something to enjoy for all tastes, generations, and interests.
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4. Mission Statement:
To inspire a sense of localism within the communities of the Sacramento area.
When:
Spring 2017 is the projected date of this event. This timeframe was chosen because it aligns best with
the seasonal and weather restraints of the ranch. Stan Van Vleck has mentioned that events at the ranch
can be held April to November. However, he also mentioned that June to October weather raises the risk
of possible fires. Furthermore, as shown within the project brief on the ranch, the ranch and area is
significantly more green in the springtime— adding to the natural beauty of the ranch. Therefore, the
best time to hold Up in the Air Fair is April or May of 2017.
Section 2: Logic Model
A logic model is a systematic and visual way to present and share the understanding of the relationships
among the resources used to operate an event, the activities planned, and the changes or results an event
hopes to achieve. A logic model analyzes the effectiveness of an event by laying out the inputs, outputs,1
and outcomes of said event. Below is the logic model for Up in the Air. It shows the theories and
assumptions underlying the event.
INPUTS OUTPUTS
Program Resources
● Hot Air balloons
● Venue
● Vendor booths
● Tents
● Directional,
Informational, and
Instructional Signs
● ATM
Activities
● Tethered Balloon Rides
● Balloon Glow Shows
● Balloon Races
● Wine Tasting
● Food Trucks
● Kid Zone
● Musical Entertainment
● Shopping
Participants
● Families, residents, and
community members of
Sacramento area
● Local vendors
● Arizona Events Group
● Van Vleck Ranch
1
(W.K. Kellogg, 2004)
4

5. ● Portable Bathrooms
● Parking Cones and Tape
● Tickets/Wristbands
● Time & Budget
● Volunteers
OUTCOMES
Short
● Revenue for Van Vleck
Ranch
● Bring locals together to
enjoy a day of fun, food,
and company
Medium
● Branding for Van Vleck
Ranch
● Inspire a sense of
localism in the
Sacramento area
Long-term
● Another century of
successful business for
Van Vleck Ranch
● Enrich the lives of
people in the
Sacramento area
Section 3: Research Conducted on Similar Events in California
Spring Into the Air​ is a hot air balloon event located in Rancho Murieta, California. The event was
established in 2012 and occurs annually from July 4th to July 5th. It is an invitation-only event and is
limited to only seven balloons.2
California Dreamin​ is a hot air balloon company located in Temecula, CA. They have been in business for
35 years and offer balloon flights year-round. Flights with the company depart at sunrise from
Vindemia-a private vineyard- and at sunset from Del Mar. They also offer special flight packages that
include gourmet breakfast items, as well as on the ground breakfasts and mimosas in their rose garden
overlooking the vineyards. In the afternoon, customers can partake in a wine tasting, as well as a tour
through Old Town Temecula. All packages can be paired with a Bed & Breakfast stay on the property.3
2
(HotAirBalloon, 2015)
3
(California Dreamin’, 2014)
5

6. Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival​ is a three-day event in May that takes place in Temecula,
CA. The event features 40 to 50 hot air balloons floating over the scenic Temecula Valley Wine Country,
creating a perfect opportunity to showcase the natural beauty of the area. In addition, the event offers
balloon tether rides and a synchronized balloon glow show- featuring hot air balloons that light up the
evening sky. Their 2016 event had 22 bands perform and 13 local wineries provide tastings and
pairings. The event was so large that they had over 800 volunteers donate their time to make the event
successful.4
In conclusion,​ based on our research, we were unable to find any similar event in the Sacramento area.
Our team believes that the Van Vleck Ranch has the opportunity to replicate the Temecula Valley Balloon
& Wine festival and offer a similar event in Northern California. The Temecula festival has proven to be
very successful and we believe that the Temecula attendees, as well as other attendees from the
surrounding areas in northern California, will be willing to travel to Sacramento to experience striking
scenery by hot air balloon.
Section 4: Company Interest
Arizona Events Group, LLC.
The Arizona Events Group offers fifty years of combined experience in event production, coordination and
operation services. Some of the services they provide include:
● Administrate:​ a complete timeline of all production and coordination activities.
● Create: ​recommended budgeting to maintain income and expenses.
● Co-promote:​ events and activities are put on Arizona Events Group’s social media platforms.
● Coordinate:​ event staff and volunteer training and coordination.
● Research: ​prepare and negotiate on-site vendor services and functions.
4
(Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, 2016)
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7. ● Secure:​ partnerships (sponsors) and commercial vendors on all levels.
● Manage and Direct:​ site plans, logistics and operations. From set-up to clean-up.
● Activate:​ partnership (sponsors) elements and Event Marketing plans.
● Recommend: ​promotional and advertising plans of all activities prior to the event. 5
Section 5: Case Study
Arizona Balloon Classic
The Arizona Balloon Classic is an annual event in Phoenix put on by the Arizona Events Group. This
three-day event truly has something for everyone. On Saturday and Sunday mornings the sky is filled
with colorful hot-air balloons that participate in thrilling “Hare & Hound” races from the grassy fields of
the West Valley’s Fear Farm Sports & Entertainment Complex for a spectacular sight of mass and color.
Spectators are allowed to walk on the field and experience the balloons inflation and lift off. Photo taking
is invited. Desert Glows is on Friday and Saturday evenings are their most popular attended events. A
field full of illuminated, tethered, hot air balloons will glow in time to music.
Some additional activities at the Arizona Balloon classic:
● Hot Air Balloon rides, Fireworks, Family Fun Zone, 100’ Giant Ferris Wheel, Hot Air Balloon
Tether rides, Skateboard Trick Shows, Freestyle Motorsports over hot air balloons, sampling, and
many other exciting events.
● Retail shopping, as well as a variety of “Marketplace” vendors and commercial exhibits for
purchases or browsing.
● Local food and beverage vendors. 6
5
(See Appendix, item 3)
6
(See Appendix, item 1)
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8. Event Demographics for Arizona Balloon Classic 2015:
Based upon exit surveys and social media platforms from last year’s festival, the Arizona Balloon Classic
discovered that they had an attendance of over 20,000 people with average household incomes
averaging between $62,000 and $96,000. The festival saw about sixty-seven percent of female attendees
and thirty-three percent male attendees. The event also hosted people from all age groups. There was
about 29.8% attendees that were kids 12 and under. They had about 21.9% Millennials, which are
between the ages 18 and 34, 35.3% Generation X, which are ages ranging from 35 to 50, and about 13%
Boomers, which are ages 51-69.7
Section 6: Target Market
The event demographics at Up in the Air are expected to be fairly similar to the event demographics
previously discussed for the Arizona Balloon Classic. Additional research has been done to find the
specific target market for the area surrounding Van Vleck Ranch.
ESRI Tapestry
ESRI Tapestry is an online program that helps marketers understand their target customers' lifestyle
choices, what they buy, and how they spend their free time. Tapestry classifies US residential
neighborhoods into ​67 unique segments​ based on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
These insights help to identify and target the best customer segment and underserved markets. Tapestry
also creates higher response rates for your business by helping the business avoid less profitable areas.8
7
​(See Appendix, item 5)
8
​(Esri, n.d.)
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9. To find the market of the surrounding area, we input the area code of Van Vleck Ranch into the Esri
Tapestry database. The top target segments in the 95683 zip code area were Exurbanites, Savvy9
Suburbanites, and Senior Escapes.
Exurbanites & Savvy Suburbanites
Exurbanites and Savvy Suburbanites make up 84% of the 95683 area. Exurbanites are typically married
couples and empty nesters who are active in their communities, generous in donations, and seasoned
travelers. They are supporters of the arts and public TV/radio. See Appendix- item 7 for more10
information on Exurbanites. Savvy Suburbanites are also married couples who enjoy good food/wine and
the amenities of the city’s cultural events. See Appendix- item 8 for more information on Savvy11
Suburbanites. Both of these target audiences have food as their second highest average household
budget after housing. They are foodies who prefer natural and organic products.
Up in the Air Fair is the perfect event for the Van Vleck Ranch area because both of the target
markets in the area have high involvement in cultural community events, enjoy the luxuries of good food
& wine, and focus on quality over quantity and costs. This means they will be more willing to spend
money on quality products at the fair. Marketing this event to these particular target audiences will be
effective and easy because they are both well-connected and appreciate technology.
Section 7: SWOT Analysis
A SWOT analysis was performed to identify the internal and external variables that may prevent the event
from being as successful as possible. This is always completed before the design phase in order to
ensure all variables that can affect the event outcome have been evaluated. The strengths and
weaknesses of an event are mainly the considerations that can be spotted before the actual event takes
9
​(See Appendix, item 6)
10
​(Esri-2, 2014)
11
​(Esri-3, 2014)
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10. place. These are often uncovered in focus groups and interviews, but can also be analyzed internally.
Opportunities and threats usually present themselves during or after the event takes place, so it is
important to review prior or similar events. Opportunities are benefits to your event that don’t require
any significant investment, and threats are activities that prevent us from maximizing the events
potential.
Below is a SWOT Analysis specific to Up in the Air: Balloon Fair at Van Vleck Ranch.
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11. Section 8: Choose Up in the Air
Up in the Air has the best chance of success due to the experience of Arizona Events Group. They have
put on six successful balloon festivals in the past. Furthermore, this one event has the opportunity to
benefit people and organizations across the board.
1. For Van Vleck Ranch: Holding new events at the Van Vleck Ranch is beneficial to establishing a
brand as well as developing loyal connections with local vendors in the area.
2. For the Community: Through our research, we have not found any events like this one in the
Sacramento area. This opens up the opportunity to introduce the community to a new fun and
unique event that can be enjoyed by local community members. It brings business to the local
community and stimulates the local economy.
3. For the World: Arizona Events Group usually gives the option to donate a portion of the proceeds
to the charity of your choice.
Choosing Up in the Air Fair allows for the opportunity to benefit Van Vleck Ranch, the community, and
the world.
Section 9: Contact Nanette Duncan
Nanette Duncan​: Director of Event Management at the Arizona Events Group , LLC.
Nanette has previously planned the Arizona Balloon Classic and has expressed interest in conducting
event production, coordination, and operation of the balloon fair if it was brought to Van Vleck Ranch.
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12. She and the Arizona Events Group would take care of all the details including the pricing and financials of
the event.
Contact Information:
Email: ​net@abfest.com
Phone: 480-600-4743
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13. Section 10: Appendix
Item 1: Arizona Balloon Classic - Things You Need to Know
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14. Item 2: Arizona Balloon Classic - Partnership Opportunities
See full PDF here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_2UyzsvU95fbTNobWNEYURJaUxiVGg1Y2Rxc2RP
SkFBWVlj/view?usp=sharing
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15. Item 3: About Arizona Events Group
15

16. Item 4: About AEG Service
16

17. Item 5: ABC Event Demographics
Item 6: Tapestry Segmentation
(Esri, 2014)
17

18. Item 7: Exurbanites
(Esri, 2014)
Item 8: Savvy Suburbanites
(Esri, 2014)
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19. References:
California Dreamin’. (2014). Temecula Valley Wine Country’s Hottest Balloon
Adventures. Retrieved May 26th, 2016 from
http://www.californiadreamin.com/
Esri. (n.d.). What is Tapestry? Retrieved June 08, 2016, from
http://www.esri.com/landing-pages/tapestry
Esri-1. (2014). Tapestry Segmentation. Retrieved June 2, 2016 from
http://www.esri.com/library/fliers/pdfs/tapestry_segmentation.pdf
Esri-2. (2014). Exurbanites. Retrieved June 2, 2016 from
http://downloads.esri.com/esri_content_doc/dbl/us/tapestry/segment5.pdf
Esri-3. (2014). Savvy Suburbanites. Retrieved June 2, 2016 from
http://downloads.esri.com/esri_content_doc/dbl/us/tapestry/segment4.pdf
HotAirBalloon. (2015). Spring Into the Air- Invitational. Retrieved May 25th, 2016
from
http://www.hotairballoon.com/Spring-Into-the-Air-Invitational/
Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival. (2016). Temecula Valley Balloon &
Wine Festival. Retrieved from
http://www.tvbwf.com/home/
W.K. Kellogg Foundation. (January 2004). Logic Model Development Guide.
Retrieved June 2, 2016 from
http://www.smartgivers.org/uploads/logicmodelguidepdf.pdf
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