Princeton to host Monster Mash Balloon Bash this weekend – Shaw Local
The skies over Princeton will come alive on Friday, Oct. 4 with the Monster Mash Balloon Bash. (Image provided by the City of Princeton. )
The skies over Princeton will come alive on Saturday, Oct. 4 with the Monster Mash Balloon Bash, presented by the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce, Princeton Tourism, and the Bureau County Fair.
This spook-tacular fall celebration will fill the Bureau County Fairgrounds with hot air balloons and Halloween treats and thrills for all ages, according to a news release.
The evening kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with tethered hot air balloon rides, available until 7 p.m. Advance ride tickets can be purchased online at princetonchamber-il.com, and walk-up rides will be available after 7:30 p.m. From 6 to 8 p.m., the balloons will light up the night sky during the much-anticipated Balloon Glow.
Food lovers will find plenty to enjoy, with the Bureau County Fairgrounds’ Mummies Café open from 4 to 10 p.m., while food trucks will begin serving at 4 p.m.
Families can spend the evening enjoying hayrack rides, trolley rides, pony rides, mini-train rides, Usborne Book Fair and Paint Your Own Pottery with The Knack. A festive Trunk or Treat, provided by the Arukah Institute of Healing, City of Princeton, Landmark Realty, Tri-County Opportunities Council, Youth Service Bureau and Zearing Child Enrichment Center, will add even more fun for children.
Entertainment includes a lively performance by the Hocus Pocus Hags at 6:30 p.m., followed by an outdoor Halloween movie starting at 7 p.m.
The evening also marks the opening weekend of the Nightmare Haunted Attraction, which will host a special “Lights On” experience for little ones and those who prefer a less scary adventure from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The full haunted house will run from 7 to 10 p.m.
Additional fall festivities in Princeton will take place earlier in the day, beginning with Trick-or-Treating on Main Street from 2 to 4 p.m. At 4 p.m., a Halloween Costume Contest for all ages (including pets) will be held at Soldiers & Sailors Park. At 5:30 p.m., the Halloween Parade will step off from Soldiers & Sailors Park, travel down Central Street to Crown Street, and continue to the Fairgrounds, officially kicking off the Monster Mash Balloon Bash.
To make the weekend even more magical, downtown Princeton will host Witches Night Out the evening before, creating a full weekend of fall fun in the community.
For information, visit princetonchamber-il.com, princetontourism.org or bureaucountyfair.com.
Shaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois
