Tourism liaison proposes annual hot-air balloon festival for Klamath County

A member of the board who said they serve as Klamath County's liaison to tourism asked commissioners on May 12 to authorize county staff to support early planning for an annual hot-air balloon festival intended as a signature tourism event.

The presenter told the board a small stakeholder meeting produced initial ideas about locations and budgets and said Discover Klamath has agreed to be the event's fiscal sponsor, which would keep county government out of direct handling of event funds. "Discover Klamath is agreed to be the fiscal sponsor so we wouldn't be handling any of the money through the county," the board member said. The presenter named staff who would assist in planning, including Ian, Jeremy Morris, Erin and Haley.

The liaison characterized the proposal as early-stage and emphasized that concrete numbers are not yet available. "It's all just conceptual and we just barely met yesterday," the liaison said. The presenter offered a preliminary, uncertified estimate that a moderate-sized event could generate more than $1 million in indirect annual economic benefit to the county but stressed this was an early estimate that requires verification.

Commissioners discussed the need to route any county support through existing tourism grant processes or to create a special advisory group if grant panel members are directly involved. One commissioner noted emergency management and traffic-control planning should be integrated early. No formal funding request or formal approval was made; the board asked staff to continue stakeholder work and to return with more detailed location options, budgets and a recommended funding path.

The proposal remains conceptual: staff and Discover Klamath will refine cost estimates and outline responsibilities before any financial commitment by the board.