BALLOON FESTIVAL OFFERS CHILDREN A VIP EXPERIENCE,

BRIDGEWATER COMMONS TO SPONSOR KID’S CLUB

READINGTON, NJ --- The Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning and Bridgewater Commons are offering children the unique experience of being part of the action at this year’s Festival, July 29-30-31, 2011 at Solberg Airport in Readington.

Bridgewater Commons will be sponsoring the Festival’s Kid’s Club, which allows children ages 12 and under to get up-close-and-personal with up to 125 hot air balloons. Each member of the Kid’s Club will receive one children’s general admission ticket to the Festival and an invitation onto the launch field during one of the scheduled evening mass hot air balloon ascensions (when accompanied by one adult guest).

In addition, five lucky Bridgewater Commons Kid’s Club members will be chosen to be honorary Launch Directors (one per ascension) where they will be invited to the pre-launch pilot briefing and give the official launch directions to the pilots prior to lift-off!

“For us, it’s all about the children,” said Festival Executive Producer Howard Freeman. “We created our Kid’s Club to make their Festival experience even more memorable. We look forward to introducing the magic of ballooning to a whole new generation.”

“We are very excited to be a part of such a great community event,” said Amy Harris, Marketing Manager for Bridgewater Commons & The Village. “We are certain many of our shoppers will want to join the Kid’s Club and take advantage of all the extras they can receive.”  

Each member of the Kid’s Club will also receive an exclusive Kid’s Club T-shirt; an official Kid’s Club membership card; the opportunity to attend a hot air balloon tutorial with an official pilot; and a “Taste of Quick Chek” Festival goody-bag.

This unforgettable experience is available for just $15.00.

“Bridgewater Commons offers unique shopping, dining and entertainment experiences,” said Freeman. “Their sponsorship of our Kid’s Club is going to allow shoppers the opportunity to provide another wonderful new experience for their children.”

For further information or to purchase Kid’s Club tickets, please visit www.balloonfestival.com. Tickets will be available through July 22; tickets may be purchased at the gate subject to availability.

The 29^th annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Association with PNC is the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America. The Festival offers affordable family fun and has been named one of the Top 100 Events in North America in 2011.

The three day festival offers morning-through-night family entertainment including a fireworks show; a nighttime hot air balloon glow where balloons are lit up like lanterns; live concerts from Disney teen sensation Mitchel Musso, rock legend Meat Loaf, ABBA The Concert, and Barenaked Ladies; aerial acts featuring the human cannonball Jennifer Smith and the Red Bull Air Force; amusement rides; age-appropriate activities and entertainment in the Quick Chek Hospitality Tent; interactive exhibits such as the PNC Mobile Learning Experience; and five scheduled mass ascensions with up to 125 balloons taking the skies over the scenic Hunterdon County countryside.

Bridgewater Commons is owned and managed by General Growth Properties, one of the nation’s largest shopping center owners. General Growth Properties has ownership and management interest in 169 regional and super regional shopping malls in 43 states. The company portfolio totals 174 million square feet of retail space. A publicly-traded real estate investment trust (REIT), GGP is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GGP.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Russ Mensch, Mensch & Company, Inc., 201-797-2448

Amy Harris, Bridgewater Commons, 908-218-1166 or 908-218-0001