Point Of Grace, Sonicflood Highlight Sept. 5 Balloon Glow

by Marianne May, student writer

The faces of nearly 18,000 people lit up with smiles and wonder as 11 colorful hot-air balloons glowed on the field of Floyd Casey Stadium, ending an evening of celebration and contemporary Christian music Sept. 5 at Baylor University.
The free concert and balloon glow, which took place during of the National Hot Air Balloon Championship, was sponsored by Baylor University, Curves International Inc. and 89.9 FM KBDE.
Baylor has hosted the balloon glow and concert on campus for the past two years. This year's concert with top Christian recording artists, Point of Grace and Sonicflood, was moved to the spacious confines of Floyd Casey Stadium.
Kelly Donahue, a sophomore from El Paso and community leader in Collins Hall, was able to bring several of her residents to the concert, an event which she said brought students "outside the Baylor bubble and invited Waco residents into our strong, Christian atmosphere."
Donahue wanted to go because she'd never been to the balloon glow before and wanted to hear Sonicflood perform. She thoroughly enjoyed the concert, but she said the glow was by far her favorite part.
"It was so well-orchestrated," she said. "I was really impressed."
Becki Majors, coordinator of student union programs at Baylor, agreed that the best part of her evening was "definitely the finale of the balloon glow. All of the hot air balloons decorated the night sky with vibrant color, and it was a beautiful sight."
Past balloon glows have included performances by Christian artists Michael W. Smith, Avalon and Audio Adrenaline. The concert also has showcased local talent, including Sign of Jonah and April Geesbreght.
The event was designed for Baylor students, particularly freshmen by "The Place 2BU," a programming committee dedicated to creating fun weekend events to unite the Baylor family and create a feeling of connectedness among new students.
Other events to come will include "Fifth Quarter on Fifth Street." in October, "Cattle Drive" in November and "Christmas on Fifth Street" in December.