TICKETS NOW ON SALE!!

Randy Owen of Alabama, & The Wallflowers Headline BalloonFest Concerts!

The second annual Great Southeast BalloonFest is set to take flight at the Anderson Sports & Entertainment Center, Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2008.

And this year, the main stage area will be bigger and better than ever before at the William A. Floyd Amphitheater.

Kicking off BalloonFest will be "A Night With RANDY OWEN of the Legendary Alabama" concert on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Country music newcomer DANIELLE PECK will open the show. The concert is being presented by 92.5 WESC-FM.

On Saturday, Aug. 30, pop/rock group THE WALLFLOWERS will be in concert, along with NEEDTOBREATHE and KENNY FLOYD. B-93.7 is presenting the concert.

Concert tickets are now on sale at the Civic Center Box Office, and through TicketMaster. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.TicketMaster.com, or by phone by calling (864) 233-2525. The box office, located at the Civic Center of Anderson, is open Monday-Friday, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The Great Southeast BalloonFest, founded in Anderson, SC, in 2007, is one of the largest hot-air balloon festivals in the United States.

Admission onto the festival grounds is free, and a $5 parking fee will apply to official Great Southeast BalloonFest lots. Many of the activities and events on the festival grounds are free, while others (such as concerts inside the William A. Floyd Amphitheater and special events inside the Civic Center of Anderson) require tickets available for purchase in advance and on the day of the event.

BalloonFest will take off with the Randy Owen concert on Friday, Aug. 29. The event grounds will not officially open until Saturday, Aug. 30. Balloon competitions will start on the morning of Friday, Aug. 29, so look to the skies to see an estimated 80+ hot-air balloons flying overhead!

On Saturday, Aug. 30, BalloonFest moves into full swing as the entire event grounds open, offering kids activities, food vendors, midway attractions, remote stage entertainment, a soccer tournament, and much, much more!

New in 2008 will be an outdoor "BeachFest" concert Saturday featuring the JUMP STREET BAND on the front lawn of the Civic Center. Saturday’s festivities will wrap up with THE WALLFLOWERS concert inside the Amphitheater.

The excitement continues on Sunday, Aug. 31, with even more fun and games on the event grounds! The grand finale of the day will be the annual free "Celebrate Anderson" concert set for the William A. Floyd Amphitheater at 8:00 p.m. The Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium (GAMAC) will perform an "out of this world" STAR WARS concert the likes of which Anderson County has never seen before! The show will also feature a laser light show! The night will end with a giant Zambelli fireworks display!

On Monday, Sept. 1, while the festival grounds will be closed, an awards banquet will be held to crown the Great Southeast BalloonFest Grand Champion, the South Carolina Champion, and the Balloon Federation of America (BFA) National Champion!

Check back here often for the latest details!

GREAT SOUTHEAST BALLOONFEST CONCERTS:

FRIDAY, AUG. 29, 7:30 PM: Concert inside William A. Floyd Amphitheater -- RANDY OWEN with DANIELLE PECK. Tickets on sale now at the Civic Center Box Office and through TicketMaster.

SATURDAY, AUG. 30, 3:00 PM: Concert on the front lawn of the Civic Center of Anderson featuring JUMP STREET BAND. Admission is free!

SATURDAY, AUG. 30, 7:30 PM: Concert inside William A. Floyd Amphitheater featuring THE WALLFLOWERS with NEEDTOBREATHE and KENNY FLOYD. Tickets on sale now at the Civic Center Box Office and through TicketMaster.

SUNDAY, AUG. 31, 8:00 PM: "Celebrate Anderson" concert inside William A. Floyd Amphitheater, featuring Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium (GAMAC) performing the music from STAR WARS. Admission is free. The concert will conclude with a giant fireworks display!