Lakewood Ranch balloon festival lands Carnival rides

Reithoffer Shows has announced it will join forces with promoter Ricky Garvie to bring 22 carnival rides to the new Sarasota Balloon Festival which will be held March 8-11 at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch.

Owner Rick Reithoffer said he believes the balloon festival can be a hit.

"I'm hoping so," he said. "So we're giving it a try. They have a large population base there."

Reihoffer Shows is out of Gibsonton, Fla. and was established in 1896 with a steam-powered carousel as its main attraction. The company regularly is part of the Georgia National Fair and the Peanut Festival in Alabama.

The rides will include "Speed," a rotating attraction that seats eight guests at a time, and "Freak Out," a pendulum-stye attraction which also spins.

The carnival section of the Sarasota Balloon Festival also will include attractions for smaller children as well as a giant Ferris wheel and a carousel.

Wristbands will be priced at $25 for unlimited rides while individual ride tickets also will be available.

"We are incredibly lucky to have a carnival such as Reithoffer Shows partnering with us on our event," Garvie said. "It really takes our event to a whole different level.”

Reithoffer has a good friend in the Myakka City area and said he often drives past Premier on State Road 70.

"I always thought the venue would be an incredible site for an event," Reithoffer said. "This is going to be a special event for the community and an opportunity to bring our show to yet another community."

Reithoffer Shows President Rick Reithoffer was delighted to add the new event to his route for 2018. Reithoffer is based in Gibsonton near Tampa, and the balloon festival is a relatively short trip from another event his show plays in Fort Myers which ends the weekend before.