Balloon Fest '93 brings 35 hot air balloons to Cape Girardeau next weekend for thee days of competition, displays and rides.

The fest is planned July 23-26, said David Ross, manager of the Show Me Center, where the balloon competition will originate.

The highlight of the event, Ross said, is a Balloon Glow Friday at 8:30 p.m. at West Park Mall.

Following Friday night's round of competition, all the balloons will line up, tied to the ground and illuminate simultaneously.

"The fire and flames that inflate the balloons will make the envelopes glow. The balloons are multicolored," he said. "It should be a spectacular site."

Tether rides will be available at the mall on Friday. They'll cost $5 for a two-minute ride.

The event is sponsored by Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts. Additional funding is needed, but David Ross said Balloon Fest is a go.

"We don't have enough revenue, but we're seeking donations and sponsorships," he said. "We're close. I think we're inside the window. We can raise the money needed. But nothing is 100 percent."

Rising floodwaters have forced some changes in the race plan, but Ross said flooding should not jeopardize the event.

"The water is a concern, but they have assured us they can launch and can land," he said.

Pilots steer the balloons by changing altitudes. If pilots were heading for flooded areas, they could inflate the balloons and fly over the area. The only danger would be if the flight lasted over an hour and a half and the balloon ran short of fuel.

However, launch sites have been moved from the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport to the Show Me Center. Originally, half the flights would have originated from the airport and the other half from the Show Me Center.

"The only thing that will affect that (Show Me Center location) is if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction," Ross said. "Then we will seek an alternate site west of town try to fly in to the Show Me Center."

Ross said 35 balloon pilots will compete for $10,000 in cash prizes in a test of each pilot's maneuverability skills.

Four rounds of competition are planned. The first is scheduled Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, July 24, two rounds are set for 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. And Sunday, July 25, the final round is scheduled at 6 a.m.

Balloon rides are planned in early morning and early evening because winds are usually calmest at those times.

The pilot's objective is to maneuver his or her balloon as close to a distant "X" that has been laid out on the ground, and drop a bean bag as close to the center of the "X" as possible. The pilot whose combined four drops measure the smallest distance will be the winner.

Last year the first hot air balloon fest was held as part of the city's Aviation Days celebration. That event drew 17 balloon pilots.

Officials decided to suspend Aviation Day this year, but Ross said the balloon race was already on the national calendar for ballooning events.

"We thought since we have a good start and are on the national calendar we would go ahead with the balloon fest," Ross said.

He said pilots last year were pleased with the Cape Girardeau event. "They said it is a picturesque place to fly."

"We've had good support from the community," Ross said.

"We're interested in volunteers coming out," Ross said. Sightseers and photographers are welcome.

In conjunction with Balloon Fest, the Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts is conducting a photography contest.

Photos must be taken during the event. All entries should be submitted to Beverly Strohmeyer, Southeast Missouri Council on the Arts, P.O. Box 901, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702. For more information call 334-9233.

All scheduled balloon flights are subject to weather.

Major sponsors are First National Bank, Fox 23 KBSI, West Park Mall, Cybertel, Cape West Rotary Club, The Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau and Motorcycle Stuff.

Participating sponsors include Boatmen's Bank, Cape Central Airways, Capital Bank, Dana Corporation, Drury Lodge, Holiday Inn, Burger King, Holloway Floor Covering, JCPenney, KZIM/K-103, Lone Star Cement, Lorimont, McDonalds restaurant, Rhodes 101, St. Francis Medical Center, Schnucks and Southeast Missouri Hospital.