Odessans greet fall with festival

With Halloween just around the corner, lines of people were waiting at the City of Odessa’s third annual Fall Festival Saturday at McKinney Park.

Festival-goers were not just there for the usual free candy, but also free hot air balloon rides.

Rohr Balloon Company from McKinney was hired by Parks and Recreation Department Director Steve Patton to provide festival-goers with a new experience.

 “There hasn’t been a hot air balloon in Odessa since 1987,” said Patton, “So many people have never experienced it, and I thought it would be something great to bring it to Odessa for free.”

Each balloon ride brought the riders 100 feet in the air; the Rohr Balloon Company did about 60 rides an hour for all ages.

While the hot air balloon drew a crowd, new attractions such as the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile and Road Games also helped double the size of attendance from last year’s 1,800 to just shy of 4,000 people. Still remaining the most popular attractions were the child-friendly games, as well as the contests.

Around the festival, costumes from superheroes to pop stars such as Lady Gaga were worn by adults and children. Costumes were also provided to volunteers who wanted to dress up. Members of the Permian High School Students in Philanthropy were among those who decided to participate.

 “I like the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, but I really just wanted to do something different than what I think is expected of me,” said Permian Senior Damaris Trillo, who was outfitted in a colorful pirate costume.

The Fall Festival held several contests that included a costume contest for three different age groups, as well as a pumpkin carving contests done by individuals and organizations that included the YMCA, Odessa High’s Students in Philanthropy and the Permian Football Booster Club.

The Permian/Odessa High football pie-eating contest was held for the second year in a row. In honor of the Permian/Odessa High football game next week, football players from the two schools had a pie eating contest. The Odessa High football team won this year.