What's Up Wednesday January 31, 2024 #105

This week on What's Up Wednesday, a look at the poster creation process and the unveiling of the talented artist behind the 2024 Balloon Fiesta poster.

But before we soar into the poster details, let's give a shoutout to all those who participated in our recent merchandise survey. Your valuable insights on preferences for types, colors, styles, and more are guiding our decisions. If you haven't taken the survey yet, don't worry – it's open for one more week. Just 12 quick "this or that" questions and a chance to share your best ballooning-related slogans. Your input is crucial as we gear up to place clothing orders.

Now, let's travel back in time to the inception of Balloon Fiesta posters. The first posters emerged in April 1972, printed for the initial gathering of balloons at Coronado Center. While not available for sale, they set the stage for the vibrant tradition of Balloon Fiesta posters.

Fast forward to 1979 when Balloon Fiesta collaborated with ProCreations to create an official poster featuring a fictional turn-of-the-century "ace" aeronaut. This poster became an instant classic, marking the beginning of a partnership lasting until 2005. In 2006, the design process was brought in-house, introducing the tradition of hiding a roadrunner in each poster.

In 2018, anticipating the 50th anniversary, Balloon Fiesta commissioned Daniel Killen for a 4-part poster series featuring the iconic Roadrunner and Wyle E. Coyote. Due to the 2020 Balloon Fiesta postponement, the series expanded to 5 posters.

Now, onto 2024! We're thrilled to announce Jake Gushard as the Official Balloon Fiesta Artist. Jake, a 2020 La Cueva graduate now studying Cybersecurity at Purdue University, impressed our judging team with his nighttime-themed design, incorporating this year's theme colors. Stay tuned for the grand reveal on What's Up Wednesday in June!

Out of 73 entries, Jake's design rose to the top through a meticulous judging process. Additionally, we have 10 "honorable mention" submissions, and we're exploring potential inclusion on other merchandise items.

You can explore the rich history of Balloon Fiesta posters in our Collector's Corner at balloonfiesta.com/Poster-Archive. Wondering what it takes to get your artwork considered? Here's a link to the 2024 Call for Artwork. We don't expect it to change much for 2025. Check it out and start brainstorming your submissions!

Next week on What's Up Wednesday we'll shift our focus to February, embracing love and a special "lovely" sale.

Thanks for your support of Balloon Fiesta and Balloon Fiesta Stuff.