Thank you for reserving tickets to join us at our second annual GRAZE+GLOW! Below you will find all of the details needed for the event.
TICKET SALES ARE CLOSED. NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE GATE THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
Event Details
Saturday, October 28 from 4:30p-7:30p
Gates open at 4:30pm for guests
Food Trucks: 4:30p-7:30p
Balloons arrive about 5:00pm and will set up, ready to glow at dusk through 7:30p
Trick-or-treating as soon as all balloons are set up!
Activities: 4:30-7:00pm – see a full activities list below.
Costume Contest: all who wish to participate in the costume contest judging, please meet at Equuvation’s Horse Trailer at 6:00p!
Your receipt serves as your “ticket” and your name will be on our list for check-in (look for table and event volunteers upon your arrival)!
The weather forecast is currently sunny, dry and warm!
Note: We are not selling tickets on-site the day of the event.
Directions and Parking
The address and directions to Equuvation Therapy + Education Center (at Rocky Creek Ranch) are below - please be sure to read the directions carefully and follow the guidance of signs, staff and volunteers.
The event is being held in our front hay fields near the main gate – please help us keep Snow Creek Road free from traffic (volunteers and staff will be there to assist you!) We hope to stay efficient and easy by directing everyone to park and then checking in once you arrive.
If you have a VIP parking pass, please have it ready to show on your phone to our gate crew so that we can direct you to the right place!
If you need special assistance to get around our facility, we are happy to help you - just ask when you get here or reply to this email.
Things to bring with you
Folding/camp chairs and lawn blankets
There will be some limited picnic table seating available.
CASH! Our amazing dessert and coffee truck — Andrea’s Ice Cream & Sweet Shop — is CASH ONLY. Additionally, we hope you might feel inspired to support Equuvation through cash donations in exchange for amazing activities, handcrafted art pieces and trick-or-treat bags. [Equuvation does also accept Venmo @equuvation and personal checks, but Andrea’s does not.] We do not have an ATM machine.
NOT ALLOWED
Pets – this is due to the noise created by the burners in the balloons and the risk of pets potentially being startled and running into the woods or out on the street. We love animals so please help us keep everyone safe by leaving yours at home. 🙂
Coolers – please help us support our food truck vendors who are amazing local businesses! See a list of who will be here (as well as menus) below!
Smoking or vaping – we are a NO SMOKING facility, and we are currently experiencing a drought. Thank you!
Firearms or weapons of any kind.
Event Activities
🌈 Up-close-and-personal Hot Air Balloon GLOW
🌌 Meet the balloon PILOTS and CREWS brought together by Air-olina Aviation
🎟️ Raffle for a Hot Air Balloon Ride with Almost Heaven Balloons – this prize was donated by Plasgad USA, LLC. Buy tickets at the activity station – 1 ticket for $5, 5 tickets for $20!
🎃 TRICK-OR-TREATING to each hot air balloon
Look for teal ribbons to indicate allergy friendly treats and toys!
🎶 LIVE MUSIC with Paul Bradley Atkinson Music and friends
🧙♀️ COSTUME contests
If you wish to join the costume contest for judging and prizes meet at Equuvation’s Horse Trailer at 6pm!
All contestants will receive a number. Judges will vote on their picks for the following categories:
▪️Most Original/Creative Costume
▪️Funniest Costume
▪️Cutest Costume
▪️Best Family/Group Costume
The Balloon Pilots and Crews are also dressing up! Vote for your favorite at each balloon by dropping a “voting rock” into the jar at each balloon! (This is a great excuse to go visit every balloon! 🙂)
Winners for both contests will be announced at 7pm!
🎨 ART SALE featuring original masterpieces made by our therapy herd and clients, Lucky Shoes hand-crafted by volunteers and Horseshoes•4•Haybales – all make wonderful gifts!
🎨 Face painting and temporary tattoos
🎈 BALLOON artist
🧚🏼♀️ FAIRY HAIR artist
📸 Farm-themed PHOTO “Booth”
🍦 LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS with a farm-to-table feel (see list and menus below!)
💙 Sensory-friendly accommodations {no crowds - ear plugs available at Check-In Table}
🌟 100% of donations collected at this event benefit Equuvation’s Scholarship Fund, which provides no-cost mental health and therapeutic services for kids!
Food Trucks
Carolina Farm Trust BISTRO – Farm to Table Local Food from NC Farms
Seasoned with Love (formerly La Patrona Del Sazon)
Andrea’s Ice Cream & Sweet Shop (with coffee and more!)
Don’t forget to bring CASH – this is a cash-only truck!
Summit of Birkdale (adult beverages)
A HUGE THANK YOU to all of our sponsors who have made this event possible:
💚 Presenting Sponsor: Cedar Lake Farm LLC
💙 Community Sponsors: Haven’s Foundation, Gilbert Engineering Company, Plasgad USA, LLC, The Pinnow Family
💛 Balloon Sponsors: Forever Windows, Haven’s Foundation, Anonymous Donation in honor of Equuvation’s client families, Tracy + Bob Byrnes
☀️ Balloon Partner: Air-olina Aviation and the amazing balloon pilots and crews who they bring together!
Friends-of-the-Farm: Garland Cove Equine, CNC, Doosan, Linda Mays, Coleman Chilton, Morgan Chilton, The Wolverton Family, John Burtis, Debbie Richardson, Stacey Sedgwick, Nicole Howard, Amy Earnhardt, DFP Counseling Services, Brian Muscarella, Noelle and Ed Flamand, Bryce de Flamand and Corey League, The Shugg Family …and many other individuals and families who donate in support of our beloved therapy animals.
Rocky Creek Ranch is home to Equuvation :: Therapy + Education Center, a non-profit that provides services for individuals with disabilities; those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and Autism; and those whose lives have been impacted by trauma, abuse or chronic illness. Thank you for joining us in caring for this property to honor the mission of what we do here daily!
With gratitude,
~The Team at Equuvation
• • • •
Directions:
Use the following address for your GPS – 196 Old Stagecoach Lane, Statesville NC 28625 – but please note, sometimes your GPS may want to take you to the wrong entrance! Use the directions below once you are on Snow Creek Road. There will be signage at our Main Gate (a large metal gate between stone columns) and it will be open!
From I-77 {South or North} -- Take I-77 to exit 59 [Tomlin Mill Road]; turn West on Tomlin Mill Road [L off 77N; R off 77S]. Follow ~ 0.75 mile to a stop sign, turn LEFT onto Jennings Rd. Follow Jennings for ~ 0.50 mile, take your 2nd RIGHT onto Snow Creek Rd. In ~ 0.50 mile, you will notice a fence on the RIGHT that has stacked stone columns with brown wooden fencing. Start to slow down! About 500ft after that fencing starts is a large stacked stone entrance with a metal gate, on the right. TAKE THIS ENTRANCE, which is about 0.75 mile before your GPS will tell you to turn. The facility name on the stone columns is Rocky Creek Ranch, and there are smaller signs indicating EQUUVATION and THE DISCOVERY TRAIL. There will also be a white sandwich board sign that says "EVENT ENTRANCE".
From the West / Rte 115 -- Take 115 N [from I-40] or 115 S [from 421] to Snow Creek Road. Follow for ~ 2.75 miles, you will notice a fence on the LEFT that has stacked stone columns with brown wooden fencing. At this point, your GPS may want you to turn LEFT onto Old Stagecoach Lane (this gate will be closed), but KEEP GOING! This is our service entrance and is ONLY for staff, vendors and full-size school busses. Continue to follow Snow Creek (and the brown fencing) for about another 0.75 mile to a large stacked stone entrance with a metal gate. Turn LEFT into the driveway. The facility name on the stone columns is Rocky Creek Ranch, and there are smaller signs indicating EQUUVATION and THE DISCOVERY TRAIL. There will also be a white sandwich board sign that says "EVENT ENTRANCE".
IMPORTANT: If you arrive at a CLOSED gate with mailboxes on your right, please go back down Snow Creek Road towards I-77 (East) and enter by way of our large metal Main Gate.
PLEASE NOTE: During regular business days/hours and on weekends, our facility is closed to the public. There are no public access hiking trails at this facility. Equuvation and The Discovery Trail are nonprofit programs that provide HIPAA compliant services for clients. It is important for us to provide our clients with a safe, healthy, peaceful environment to participate in the therapeutic programs they need. No drop-ins to this facility are allowed – if you wish to visit or learn more about our programs, please email info@equuvation.org to schedule an appointment.