Welcome Week, Aug. 15-19, to Feature Michael W. Smith Concert
The Heart of Texas National Balloon Championship and a performance by Grammy and Dove Award-winning recording artist Michael W. Smith will be among the highlights of Baylor University's Welcome Week 2001 Aug. 15-19 on the Baylor campus.
The balloon competition and concert are open to the public.
Baylor residence halls will open at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, for new students to move in their belongings, with registration for Welcome Week activities to be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lawns in front of the residence halls. The annual event, which began at Baylor in 1974, emphasizes the intellectual, social, physical and spiritual aspects of college life while also acquainting students with several Baylor traditions. The schedule of Welcome Week events can be found on-line at www.baylor.edu/Welcome_Week/ .
A new event in conjunction with Baylor's Welcome Week is the Heart of Texas National Balloon Championship. The competition, featuring 40 colorful hot air balloons, will take place from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Aug. 15-19 at the Baylor intramural fields located on University Parks Drive at Bagby Avenue. Pilots will meet each morning at 6 a.m. at the Ferrell Center with flights immediately following. The competition will conclude with an awards ceremony at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at the intramural fields.
On Friday, Aug. 17, a trio of nationally known recording artists will perform in an open-air concert at the Baylor intramural fields. Sign of Jonah, a Christian band from Waco, will take the stage at 6 p.m., followed at 7:30 p.m. by Dallas-based Forty Days and Michael W. Smith at 9:15 p.m. Other special events include a hot air balloon "glow" at 8:30 p.m. and a fireworks display following Smith's concert.
Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults and $5 for students with a valid school ID and are available at the Baylor ticket office in the Bill Daniel Student Center, Compass Bookstore in Waco, Family Christian Stores in Waco and Killeen and Book of Life in Temple. Children six and under accompanied by a paying adult will be admitted free. Tickets are $15 at the door.
For more information, call the Baylor ticket office at (254) 710-3210.