The annual, three-day festival has grown to be the largest summertime hot-air balloon and music festival in North America, the company said. Quick Chek has served as [image-nocss] the event's sponsor for the past 18 consecutive years.
"Along with our famed fresh coffee program, made-to-order subs and superior customer service, we are also well know for our longstanding sponsorship of the Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning," said president and CEO Dean Durling. "Supporting this unforgettable family event is a natural fit not only to showcase our broad range of fresh product choices and outstanding customer service, but our great pride in the region we serve," he said.
Quick Chek's signature Fresh Farm Balloon took to the skies six times throughout the weekend amid a colorful spectrum of up to 125 hot-air balloons.
This year's festival also featured an onsite, air-conditioned 2,700-square-foot Quick Chek store offering attendees fresh-brewed coffee, iced coffee, made-to-order subs, oven-baked pizza, wraps, salads, breakfast sandwiches along with Quick Freeze, milkshakes and fountain drinks.
Quick Chek's 3,000-square-foot Hospitality Tent including live music, arts and crafts for the kids, shaded seating areas and more.
Other events included a weekend-long concert series starring Air Supply, Emily Osment from Hannah Montana, George Thorogood and the Destroyers and Rick Springfield; the "Running with the Balloons" 5K Race & Family Fun Run, a nighttime balloon glow event; and festival fireworks display.
Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Quick Chek is a market leader in foodservice with an exceptional fresh coffee and fresh food program. Its locations include 12 pharmacy stores and 26 locations with fuel.
Separately, Bend, Ore.-based Shell retailer Kent Couch took to the skies again for what has become an annual lawn-chair "cluster balloon" flight. This time it was a double launch, as Couch was joined by friend John Fries of San Diego. The two launched their balloons for a "race" on July 24 a little after 7:00 a.m.
An estimated crowd of more than 700 people gathered to watch couch lift into clear blue skies, according to a report by KBND-TV. Each man will be in a specially adapted lawn chair slung underneath 170 helium-filled balloons.
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(Andclick here for previous CSP Daily News coverage.)
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