Downtown Decorating Contest to Celebrate Old West Balloon Fest 2025
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 8, 2025
Contacts: Brenda Leisy – Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau – 308.633.1808
Tina Worthman---Gering Visitors Bureau---308-436-6886
Downtown Decorating Contest to Celebrate
Old West Balloon Fest 2025 – August 14-17
(GERING, NE) The Old West Balloon Fest Committee, the Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau, and the Gering Visitors Bureau announce the seventh annual “Downtown Decorating Contest” to commemorate Old West Balloon Fest. 2025 marks the 11th year of Old West Balloon Fest and continuing with the same plan as last year, we will open the competition to more than just windows. Again, we invite participants to use their windows, flower boxes, parking lots, rooftops, and canopies to spread the excitement of the festival. The sky’s the limit!
Participation in the contest is completely free, with a broad-based theme of hot air balloons and ballooning! Simply pick your favorite hot air ballooning motif and tailor your display as a tribute to the 2025 Old West Balloon Fest events. There will be four juried categories: First: Best “Use of color”, Second: Best “Host Community Themed” (representing the host cities of Gering, Scottsbluff, Mitchell, Morrill, or Terrytown), Third: Best “Creative” display, and Fourth: Best First-timers business display ( never competed in the competition before). Your businesses must be decorated anytime between now and the start of Old West Balloon Fest 2025.
All Businesses participating in the decorating contest are asked to:
Register their business by sending an email to: Brenda.Leisy@scottsbluffcountyne.gov or calling (308) 633-1808
Have your business decorated by Thursday evening, August 7, 2025.
The jury committee will view and judge the displays on Saturday, August 9th.
Winners will be notified; and contest results announced to media outlets Monday, August 11 to kick off Old West Balloon Fest 2025.
Ribbons will be awarded to winners in all four categories.
The Gering Merchants Association, Scottsbluff Downtown Business District and the Mitchell and Morrill Business Districts are asked to lead the way with their members to encourage participation in the decorating competition to welcome pilots, crews, visitors and hot air balloon enthusiasts visiting our communities August 14-17 for Old West Balloon Fest 2025.