Quick Chek to Return as New Jersey Festival of Ballooning Title Sponsor

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. -- For the 19th consecutive year, Quick Chek is returning as title sponsor of the annual New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, the largest summertime hot air balloon and music festival in North America, MyCentralJersey.com reported.

The convenience store chain uses the partnership to introduce new products and showcase its award-winning customer service to upwards of 150,000 to 175,000 people in a single weekend. Having a 65-foot-tall hot air balloon in the shape of a giant barn promoting its "farm fresh" products helps too, according to the report.

"The festival is our No. 1 branding event. It generates millions of media impressions throughout our market and serves as our top team-building event with more than 500 team members and their families pitching in," Quick Chek CEO Dean Durling said. "We dazzle our guests with three days of fun and excitement."

Quick Chek's involvement with the festival is the third-longest running non-sports title sponsorship of a major event in the United States. According to IEG, the world's leading authority on sponsorships, only the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade at 83 years and the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco at 21 years are longer.

This year's Festival of Ballooning will be held July 29-31 at Solberg Airport in Readington.

"We are thrilled to have Quick Chek back with us. They have embraced the festival from day one and share our belief in being involved with the community," said Howard Freeman, executive producer of the festival. "From serving as our exclusive retail outlet when tickets go on sale Memorial Day weekend, through their many on-site activities, Quick Chek works with us each year to make our attendees' experience even more enjoyable."

Festival attendees enjoy seeing Quick Chek's signature special-shaped hot air balloon during six mass ascensions, as well as tasting the company's latest fresh food offerings -- many of which are introduced or showcased at the three-day festival. The company also builds a 2,700-square-foot, air-conditioned replica convenience store on site featuring oven-toasted subs, personal-size pizzas, breakfast sandwiches, hot and iced coffees, frozen drinks and milkshakes.

The report also noted Quick Chek erects an enormous hospitality tent that provides children's interactive activities and musical performances, giving families the opportunity to relax together and demonstrating the c-store chain's dedication to customer satisfaction.

Based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., Quick Chek operates more than 125 retail locations in New Jersey and Southern New York, including 12 pharmacy stores and 26 locations with fuel.