Dan DeYoung is no stranger to all the great things New Jersey has to offer.
But the Hamilton resident is new to one Garden State tradition: the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning. This year—the event’s 34th—DeYoung joined the festival as director of corporate development. The 3-day festival runs at Solberg Airport in Readington from July 29-31.
“You know, I actually never have been able to attend the festival,” DeYoung said. “For years I wanted to go, but my wife and I always had conflicting schedules and weren’t able to make it…it’s an honor now to be able to work with this team and finally be able to enjoy this incredible event.”
His job is to connect brands to consumers as they enjoy watching 100 balloons from around the globe set off into the sky. DeYoung works along side the team for months to plan a better festival every year. He is most excited about his role in finding a way to leverage the festival to increase brand awareness through marketing to event-goers this year.
“We’re trying to create an entertainment atmosphere…tying to create an experience with a family atmosphere,” DeYoung said. “Like when you’re at that family party, and Grandma is out on the dance floor trying to do the Dougie when Johnny was 7, and we look back on it and laugh about those good memories years from now when he’s 23 years old. That’s the kind of experience we want to create.”
Most recently DeYoung worked at Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari as Manager of Corporate Alliances, where he partnered with park officials to “create impactful in-market and in-park marketing programs” for the more-than-3-million guests that pass through he park each year. Although he will be serving to a smaller audience of around 175,000, he plans on using his past experiences and successes in his new position.
“Planning for this is like painting the Golden Gate Bridge,” DeYoung said. “Once you paint it all, you need to go back and paint the first parts that you painted a year ago. The festival hasn’t even happened yet, and we are planning somewhat for next year. I am out communicating the brands in every positive way I can every day of the year.”
Before Six Flags, he worked with the Aberdeen IronBirds, the Lakewood BlueClaws and the 2007 Breeders Cup at Monmouth Park. His wealth of experience in various industries kickstarted his relationship with Executive Producer Howard Freeman who has been in charge of the balloon festival for the past 23 years.
“Howard and I got along instantaneously and made me feel very welcomed on the team,” DeYoung said. “We all work extremely well together.”
Freeman and DeYoung both have similar backgrounds in sports, which Freeman thinks will help the festival immensely.
“His diverse background in baseball and Six Flags shows the different arenas he can work in,” Freeman said. “He has brought new thinking and approaches along with sponsorships for the festival.”
On average, people stay at the festival is 7.5 hours, and it’s easy to see why with so much to do. The major draw is the balloons, like the brand new 85-foot-tall Pelican from Brazil and 115-foot-tall Farmer Pig from Sao Paulo, which weighs 440 pounds. But there will be concerts on the lawn presented by PNC and 98.3 FM featuring Third Eye Blind, The Girl and The Dreamcatcher on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Saturday evening, KC and The Sunshine Band will perform alongside the Festival’s nighttime hot air balloon glow “The Greatest Flow on Earth” across the Hunterdon County skyline.
The festival will also have Brian “The Human Fuse” Miser, who will launch himself on fire from a 24-foot-long crossbow three times a day. There’s also a Running with the Balloons 5k Cross-Road Challenge and Fun Run. For kids, head over to the Jeep Family Fun Center and take a whirl on all of the rides at the festival. And there will be dozens of vendors, food trucks and crafters there to satisfy cravings.
It’s no accident the festival has a plethora of activities, Freeman said.
“I’m like a five-year-old when it comes to keeping my attention, so I wanted to make sure this festival could keep everyone else’s,” he said.
It’s no wonder why so many people come to the middle of Hunterdon County for three days in July—there’s not only a lot to do at the festival, but a lot that will the peak the interest of every member of the family.
Freeman said his favorite part about the festival is standing at the flight line the first day, and looking at the people watching the balloons go up into the air. DeYoung can’t wait to join Freeman this month.
“How cool is it that I get to do a job where I plan a Festival for Ballooning?” DeYoung said. “I very much enjoy finding creative ways to make sure everyone loves this as much as I do…even if it took me years to finally get to see the Festival myself.”
The QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning takes place at Solberg Airport in Readington July 29 from 1-10 p.m., July 30 from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and July 31 from 6 a.m.-8p.m. Hot air balloon inflations and ascensions will be at 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets (adults $20-35, children 4-12 $8-15) include lawn seating for concerts and general access to all the festival has to offer. For more information, go online to balloonfestival.com or call (800) 468-2479.
Dan DeYoung is the new director of corporate development of the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning.,
