Looks like we’ve got ourselves a tradition! After an unflappably good time last year, we’ll be back at the Labor Day Lift Off in Colorado Springs later this month. We’re even giving out two free hot air balloon rides for two! Read on for all the juicy details.
For the uninitiated, the Labor Day Lift Off is one of America’s largest hot air balloon lift-off events and certainly the largest in Colorado. It’s a must-see event for every Coloradan, and I suspect once you go once you might just make it a tradition as well. So, what are we doing there?
Free gear rentals
For this event, we’ve partnered with Nikon to provide a variety of bodies and lenses for you to use all weekend, absolutely free of charge. Note that gear may not be available on-site until after the opening ceremony; if you’re going to want to use your loaner right away, plan to come by our Colorado Springs location between 6:30 and 8:00 PM on Thursday, August 29, for early pickup. Click here to register now! (Yes, that means you’ll get two extra days to test out your gear.) If you can stay the whole time, you’ll be able to attend a free preparatory class given by our Nikon rep to make sure you can enjoy the gear you’re borrowing to the fullest extent.
Guided photo walks & education
The fun doesn’t stop there. Our Nikon rep, Jeff, will be joining us on-site to help you grow your photographic skills and have a great time. He’ll be leading free photo walks around the festival grounds both morning and evening on Saturday and Sunday. Please click here to register for those!
If you’re musically-oriented, we’ll also have an extremely limited number of press passes available to photograph the band each night. Both days, we’ll prepare the group with a proper class at our Colorado Springs location (5420 N. Academy Blvd.) from 1:30–3:00, then we’ll meet back at the Mike’s Camera tent at Memorial Park at 7:30 to actually photograph the concert. Click here to purchase one of these exclusive passes now. We’ll even provide a $50 voucher to use for Nikon gear later!
Throughout the day, of course, we’ll have staff on-hand to swap your Nikon demo gear (why not try it all?) and provide on-site coaching for better photographs.
Class schedule
Thursday, August 29 at Mike’s Camera (Colorado Springs)
6:30–8:00 PM • Preparatory class & early gear pickup (free)
Saturday, August 31, & Sunday, September 1 at Mike’s Camera (Colorado Springs)
8:00–10:00 PM • Shoot The Band with Nikon (class)
Saturday, August 31, & Sunday, September 1 at Memorial Park
7:00 AM • Any-time consulting with Mike’s Camera photo experts
8:45–9:30 AM • Morning Photo Walk with Jeff Mitchell of Nikon (free)
6:30–7:15 PM • Evening Photo Walk with Jeff Mitchell of Nikon (free)
8:00–10:00 PM • Shoot The Band with Nikon (shoot)
Free hot air balloon rides!
Here’s the one you’ve all been waiting for. We’re giving away two hot air balloon rides for two, and it won’t cost you anything to enter the raffle. Click here or visit any of our stores to get your chance locked in today. We’ll be closing entry on Sunday, August 25th, with the results announced on Monday, August 26th to give our lucky winners all week to plan the date of a lifetime (no romance necessary to win). Enter to win now at this link!
Photo contest
Even if you don’t win the raffle, we’ll be offering a chance to redeem yourself through skill alone. That’s right, we’ve partnered with the Gazette to present the official Labor Day Lift Off Photo Contest! Upload your entries here (click the link) before noon on September 9th, 2019, and you’ll have a chance to win a grand prize of a Nikon D5600 kit, Perfect Picture Pak, and a $100 Mike’s Camera gift card or one of eight $50 Mike’s Camera gift cards.
The fun doesn’t stop there: the entry that receives the most up-votes on the contest page between September 9th and September 15th will receive a hot air balloon ride, so be sure to tell all your friends to come back and vote after the entry period closes!
Want to study up on the competition? Stop by our booth and check out last year’s winner on the official commemorative poster. We’ll see you there!
Official schedule
XFINITY DAY: Saturday, August 31
Morning Session
5:30 AM • Park and concessions open
6:30 AM • Opening ceremony
6:45 AM • Budweiser mimosa garden open
7:00 AM • Balloon lift off
9:00 AM • USAFA Wings of Blue skydive jumpers
9:30 AM • Dunkin’ Donuts donut eating championships
10:00 AM • Prospect Lake events
Wakeboarding/Surf Competitions (10:00 AM–8:00 PM)
Stand up paddle board rental
Stand up paddle board yoga
Evening Session
3:30 PM • Park and concessions open (Happy Hour until 5:00 PM!)
4:00 PM • Budweiser beer garden open
4:00 PM • Axe-throwing demonstration
5:00–7:00 PM • Concert Series #1 starts with Suga Bear & the Showtime Band
6:00 PM • Tether rides open
7:00 PM • Balloon glow
8:00–10:00 PM • Concert Series #2 starts with The Martini Shot
10:00 PM • Park and concessions close
OLYMPIC CITY USA DAY: Sunday, September 1
Morning Session
5:30 AM • Park and concessions open
6:30 AM • Opening ceremony
6:45 AM • Budweiser mimosa garden open
7:00 AM • Balloon lift off
9:00 AM • USAFA Wings of Blue skydive jumpers
9:30 AM • Dunkin’ Donuts donut eating championships
10:00 AM • Prospect Lake events
Wakeboarding/Surf Competitions (10:00 AM–8:00 PM)
Stand up paddle board rental
Stand up paddle board yoga
Evening Session
3:30 PM • Park and concessions open (Happy Hour until 5:00 PM!)
4:00 PM • Budweiser beer garden open
4:00 PM • Axe-throwing demonstration
5:00–7:00 PM • Concert Series #1 starts with Suga Bear & the Showtime Band
6:00 PM • Tether rides open
7:00 PM • Balloon glow
8:00–10:00 PM • Concert Series #2 starts with The Martini Shot
10:00 PM • Park and concessions close
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY: Monday, September 2
For reference only: while we do appreciate our military, Mike’s Camera will not have a booth Monday morning.
Morning Session
5:30 AM • Park and Concessions Open
6:30 AM • Opening Ceremony
6:45 AM • Budweiser Mimosa Garden Open
7:00 AM • Balloon Lift Off
8:00 AM • Fort Carson 4th Infantry Band, “Mile High”
9:00 AM • Flyover: Warbirds of the Pikes Peak Regional Air Show