Santa Paula Times
By Peggy Kelly

More than 350 people got a taste of fine food and wine as well as a delightful - and glowing - sneak peak at the 2009 Citrus Classic Balloon Festival Thursday evening at a special event held at historic Limoneira Ranch.

Although the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival won’t be held until July 31 and August 1, the May 21 “Sunset Glow” featuring more than a half-dozen hot air balloons and the al fresco dining whetted the appetite of the crowd for the coming second annual event.

Thursday’s Glow is “going to be wonderful,” said Festival Founder/Director Carla Edwards as she helped check in the hundreds of guests who visited the ranch for an event that also offered trolley tours of Limoneira grounds including its unique solar orchard.

Set against a backdrop of row crops, orchards and views of South Mountain, the “Sunset Glow” offered wine tasting - wine sales benefited the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley - as well samples of sunny Limoncello, the unique lemon aperitif delicious at any time.

Mary Ann and Karl Krause hosted a table of friends to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in a way described by Mary Ann as “an intriguing combination of events, all inclusive” from wine to dinner to the magnificent “glow” itself. Also important is “It’s a Santa Paula event,” an aspect that made the evening even more meaningful to the former Santa Paula Mayor.

The trolley tour of the historic Limoneira Ranch was also a treat: “We took photos” of acres of the citrus for which Limoneira is world famous, and Mary Ann said they saw the original housing built for workers more than a century ago. “It’s just a wonderful evening,” said Mary Ann as darkness fell and the balloons hissed and glowed south of the seating and the hundreds of guests applauded the show.

Guests also visited the balloon area and watched preparations for the “glow” and were able to visit with the pilots. Instead of taking to the sky, pilots were offering the nighttime show created by the flame-heated air keeping the balloons tethered but afloat, dramatically highlighting the rainbow of colors glowing in the darkness.

As always, the Limoneira Balloon was a favorite, its bright yellow and familiar shape confirming that indeed it probably is the world’s largest lemon and a proud symbol of Santa Paula history and community.

Noted professional photographer John Nichols was just one of dozens of pros and amateurs alike who jockeyed for position to get that perfect shot.

“It’s magical,” said Mary Beth Eastlake. “When I first moved to Santa Paula” about 20 years before “I didn’t even know” Limoneira Ranch existed.

“It’s wonderful,” noted Mary Beth, and also wonderful that “Carla and Limoneira are sharing this with the community.”

For more information about the 2009 Citrus Classic Balloon Festival that this year will feature two “Sunset Glows,” the Hare & Hound race that fills the sky with dozen of balloons and an all day festival, visit www.citrusclassicballoons.com