The year 1984 seemingly saw more than its fair share of beginnings for Riverside County traditions.
Several months ago, I wrote about the 40th anniversary of the publication of Jane Davies Gunther’s “Riverside County, California Place Names – Their Origins and Their Stories.” Another tradition that started in that year was the annual Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival.
The origins of the festival, of course, date back before its first occurrence. According to the festival’s website, a commercial airline pilot and hot-air balloon aficionado named Walt Darran came up with the idea for a balloon festival in what was then called Rancho California. He was immediately joined by Evelyn Harker, who had more than a few large event credits to her name.
Harker was a consummate event organizer and soon advocated for a multi-theme event, probably because a balloon festival would have only limited appeal. She thought it would be a good idea to bring in the regional burgeoning wine industry – and the balloon and wine festival was born.
The first Rancho California Balloon and Wine Festival was May 19 and 20, 1984. This was in the days prior to the incorporation of the cities of Temecula and Murrieta and the entire southwest portion of Riverside County was known as Rancho California.
In 1984, the first Balloon & Wine Festival attracted 4,000 attendees at a time when Temecula’s population was 9,000. The wine-tasting event was adjacent to the Rancho California Plaza, which is today known as Tower Plaza and is at the western corner of Rancho California Road and Ynez Road. Balloons were launched from a vacant field to the east, approximately where the Temecula Auto Mall is today. Additional plans called for a barbecue, balloon race and an 800-mile bicycle race as part of the festivities.
With the success of the first balloon and wine festival, organizers opted to repeat their success.
Over the next few years, the Rancho California Balloon & Wine Festival continued to grow and as such continued to move to various venues throughout the greater Temecula area. In 1989, the now much larger event was moved to the Lake Skinner Recreation Area. Unfortunately, traffic generated by the roughly 75,000 attendees was too much for the region and many people were disappointed. In 1990, the venue moved back to Temecula, and was canceled in 1991. It was feared that the much-loved event would be no more.
However, the next year, a group of volunteers brought the event back.
They renamed the event it the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival and returned it to Lake Skinner, where it has been ever since. More entertainment was added, and from that point until today, the event continues to draw thousands of people each spring to enjoy hot-air balloons, balloon rides, regional wines and many other attractions also.
If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail.com.
